Fight for those, Who can't fight themselves
by HannahLloyd
Summary: Brie is the type of person who puts other people before herself. And theres is a few people who admire her for that. But who will win her heart?
1. Chapter 1

Brie is sitting on a park bench in the Town Square, where she is writing in her diary. "Dear Diary, everything has changed. Never had thought Vampires, Werewolves or even Witches existed. This was my life now, even though it was so hard to believe I would associate myself with them, never mind being one. My life had changed ever since I moved to Mystic Falls. You would think being a vampire had its down falls, even though they do but there is so much more positives to being a vampire that it overlooks the downfalls. Okay eating people to survive is not something to be proud of, but speed, strength and super-hearing is something I defiantly love having"

She gets finishes off writing in her journal, just as Stefan appears from behind the statue and walks toward her, though she doesn't immediately take notice. Stefan finally approaches her, startling her "Whatcha writing?"

Brie jumps from her spot on the bench "Stefan! What are you doing here?"

"Matt reported some blood bags missing from the hospital, so I thought I'd check it out"

They're silent for a moment. A few days ago Stefan wanted to speak to Brie about what was bothering him and basically he had told Brie his undying love for her even though he just broke up with Elena and she just thinks he said that cause he was upset and wanted to feel loved. Brie feeling awkward, hesitates before speaking "So... how's Damon?"

Stefan looks at her and smiles "Well, if the last time he sat around waiting decades for a girl taught us anything, then I am worried"

Brie laughs "Well, if you're worried, then I'm terrified" They once again fall silent, and Stefan sits down next to her on the bench.

"I made this, uh, a thing, didn't I?"

Brie plays dumb and pretends she doesn't know what he's talking about "You made what a thing?"

"I told you how I felt about you, and now it's- it's weird"

"No. It's not weird, Stefan..."

"You just asked about my brother, who you hate to fill awkward silence" Stefan says skeptically.

Brie blushes "I don't hate Damon! I'm just..." She laughs weakly before dropping the ruse "Obviously you know, scrambling to fill the awkward silence" Stefan makes a face, and Brie rolls her eyes. "Okay, you made it a thing. Congratulations"

"Alright, how about this? New rule, you live your life, you heal, and in the meantime, we're friends"

Brie nods happily "I like that rule!"

"Good" Stefan looks down at her diary and notices that she was in the middle of writing and looks up at her "Okay, happy writing!"

"Thank you" Stefan gets up and leaves, and Brie smiles to herself as she returns to her diary "As I was saying... things are great" She sighs and shuts her diary and stands up, picking up her diary and bag on the way.

Flashback*

Stefan is leaning on a pillar outside the house. Elena opens the door and walks over to him. "I'm sorry that I stabbed you"

"Nah, it's all right, I probably deserved it. So, um, Damon told me that he clued you in"

"You didn't kill him, did you?" Elena asks looking concerned for Damon.

Stefan laughs and shakes his head" Nah, screw Klaus and his secrets" He sits down on the porch's steps "We all want the same thing, we just have to work together for it"

Elena sits down next to him "Stefan, why did you send Damon to come look for me instead of you?"

" I sent him because lately it seems like he's able to get through to you in ways that I can't. You'll listen to him. You trust him, even when you can't trust me"

"I didn't mean to not..." Elena begins to talk as Stefan interrupts her.

"Come on, Elena, I mean after everything that we've been through...you can admit it" They look at each other for a long time.

Elena looks down and finally responds "You've been so strong for me. Helping me, fighting for that girl that chose you, the girl that I was when I died on the bridge, and I love you so much for wanting to find this cure. Because I'd like nothing more than to get her back, because the – the girl that she's become, that – that I've become is different, somehow. Darker. Who I am, what I want"

Stefan raises his eyebrow "What you want, or...who you want?"

Elena sighs "Something's changed, between Damon and me. Much more than it ever used to be. It's like everything that I felt for him before I was a vampire"

Stefan finishes off her sentence "Has been magnified. Your feelings for him have been magnified."

" I'm sorry. I don't want to lie to you"

"You know, before when I was the, uh, the Ripper, I understood why you cared for him. I mean, I practically drove you to it. But now...I can't do this, Elena" Elena looks over at him. " Not anymore"

Elena nods her head "I know" Stefan looks away from her. Elena looks at him for a moment longer but turns away, fighting back tears. They sit on the porch steps together in silence.


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning, Stefan is in the woods doing pushups as well as talking on the phone to Caroline who is outside the Lockwood Mansion "What do you mean you're not coming? I don't need to remind you that your Miss Mystic Falls attendance record totally sucks"

Stefan stops doing pushups and lies down with his back against the ground and Caroline vamp speeds in and hangs up the phone " Well, you can't. As your sober sponsor, I am not going to let that happen. Try and sublimate"

Stefan stares up at the sky in silence for a moment "She said she has feelings for Damon"

Caroline looks in disbelief "What?! She can't have feelings for Damon! He's...Damon. And you're you. And I'm revolted. You know, I'm gonna talk to her. I'm going to shake some sense into her clearly diseased brain"

" Yeah, well I don't know what good that'll do. Elena's right, being a vampire really has changed her"

Caroline sighs and crosses her arms "All the more reason you need to cure her"

Brie was helping Caroline out with the Mystic falls pageant and is walking down the stairs with a clipboard Caroline has gave her and preparing for the pageant. Her phone is to her ear as she is on the phone to Stefan. "Stefan you're a founding family member, by definition you have to be here and if you don't Caroline will kill you"

She walks over to a table where Gabby is arranging some flowers. Caroline grabs the flowers from her hands and rearranges them to what she thinks would be Carolines satisfaction. She walks away.

"Elena and I broke up. By definition, I don't need to be anywhere"

Brie stops in her tracks as she hears his depressing tone "Did that sound as depressing to you as it did to me?"

"Oh, I'm not depressed. I just want to rip into someone's artery and feed until I can't breathe anymore"

Brie rolls her eyes "Stefan you need to get over it, your gonna see Elena at some point and nothing better than the present, get your arse down here now" Brie said ending the call so Stefan couldn't disagree.

She looks up from her phone and see's Caroline walking through the door "Eh where have you been? I didn't sign up for doing this myself"

Caroline looked like she had a lot of things on her mind "Sorry a lot going on at the moment"

"Whats wrong?" Brie asked as she could see something troubling Caroline.

"Spoke to Stefan, he told me everything, him and Elena breaking up, Elena loving Damon…"

Brie couldn't believe what she was hearing and was the first she heard about it "woah, woah back up. Did I hear you right? Elena and Damon" Caroline nodded "How is that possible?"

Caroline shrugged and looked in disgust "I mean come on Damon, are you kidding me"

"Eh Care, you did sleep with him first?" Brie pointed out which gave Caroline the shivers.

"Don't remind me" Caroline rolled her eyes and seen Elena is arranging flowers in a vase at a table. "I'm going to say something"

"Don't do anything stupid" By that point Caroline way away. Caroline walks over to her with Brie following behind her "Look, I'm your best friend and I would never pick sides, but are you sure that this is what you want? Because Stefan is your soul mate"Elena looks up at her "Sorry. Picking sides"

"It's not like I don't love Stefan anymore, but I can't deny that ever since I turned, my feelings for Damon have become more intense"

"Yeah, I know. Stefan filled me in on all the gory Damon details"

"He did?" Elena looks at her for a second, clearly worried. "Is he okay?"

Caroline shakes his head "No, he's heartbroken"

Elena shrugs her shoulders "Well, what was I supposed to do? Lie to him?"

Caroline shakes her head "No, but you weren't supposed to let Damon weasel his way into your confused newbie vampire heart"

"Well, he did and that's exactly what I am. Confused. I need to figure out what these feelings actually mean"

"Well you better find out soon, now excuse me Ive got girls to help get ready "Caroline walks off as Brie follows.

April is preparing for the Miss Mystic Falls Pageant. She holds up two dresses, one red and one blue, for Caroline and Brie to pick from "Blue" they both say.

April raised her eyebrow "Really? The blue seems a little safe"

"Safe is good when it comes to the judges" Brie points out.

Caroline nodded "She's right. Gracie Lockwood had a three-foot slit her year and practically got laughed off the court"

Brie smiles and laughs.

Klaus walks into the room "She got my vote"

Caroline throws a black object at him. It hits him in the chest "Get out, lurker!"

"Ouch" Klaus says sarcastically as Caroline walks over to him. Caroline starts to close the door on him, but Klaus puts his hand up and pushes it back open. Brie giggles at Caroline's attempt to shut Klaus out. Caroline starts to walk back towards Brie.

Klaus looks at April and smirks "Red one, definitely"

Caroline has stopped in the middle of the room, midway between Brie and Klaus. She has her arms crosses "We've already agreed that the red one is a little bit too showy" She glances at Brie.

Brie looks at the red dress that April is holding up "The red is pretty"

Caroline's face falls. Damon smirks "And my work here is done"

Klaus walks out of the room and Caroline looks back at Brie "Uh, what happened to thirty seconds ago when you hated the red one? What happened to safe is good?"

Brie looks at her with a glazed look over her eyes. She shakes her head and turns back to April "Yeah I know Care but its not our choice. It's whichever one you want to wear, April"

Caroline is onstage and is about to introduce the contestants "Hi, everyone, I'm Caroline Forbes"

Brie walks up the lawn to watch the introduction of the girls. Klaus stands a few feet away from her and he looks over at her

"As the reigning Miss Mystic Falls, it is my honour to introduce this year's Miss Mystic Court" Everyone claps for the girls, they exchange looks. The music starts playing for the introduction of the girls. " We begin the procession with Valerie Fell accompanied by Dylan Clark" There is a round of applause for Valerie as she walks down the stone steps. "Next, we have Amber Wolvertine accompanied by Hector Lindsay" April starts to descend the stairs

"And finally, we have a last minute entry, April Young accompanied by Jeremy Gilbert" April continues to walk down the steps but stops and looks around for Jeremy. Caroline also looks around for Jeremy but keeps a large smile on her face.

Matt walks up to where the escorts were lined up and holds out his arm for April. Everyone applauds and April breathes a sigh of relief. She walks down the remainder of the stairs with a smile and takes Matt's arm. "Jeremy's running late"

"I guess you'll do" She giggles. Caroline continues to look around, worried, but stops and smiles. April and Matt walk to the dance floor and face each other.


	3. Chapter 3

"You lead" Matt says as April smiles and nods. The girls and their escorts bow to each other and begin the dance. Damon watches them for a moment then looks over at Elena. Elena is still looking around for Jeremy. Elena catches Damon looking at her and she smiles. Damon looks back and watches the dance.

Elena stares at him for a moment longer and then walks out of the crowd. Caroline quickly walks down the steps and over to Elena, who is on her phone. "Hey, what's with the last minute escort change? Where is Jeremy?"

"I'm calling him right now" Elena says as she dials Jeremys number into her key pad.

Damon walks up to them with Brie right in his tracks.

Elena shakes her head and switches her phone off "He's not picking up. Matt said that Jeremy's been having nightmares about killing vampires and he's been hiding it from me"

Caroline and Brie look surprised and worried while Damon shrugs it off. "Relax, I'm sure he's fine"

"I don't know. I have a bad feeling" Elena says looking down at her phone, to see if Jeremy has answered her message.

" If I'm not worried, you shouldn't be worried. Let it go. I'll go look for him" Damon walks away.

Brie watches Damon walk away and turns her attention to Elena "Okay, you go home, I'm gonna start asking around here"

"Maybe Damon's right. Maybe he grabbed a bottle from the bar and snuck off to the woods"

Caroline intervenes "No, Damon is never right. Damon is sneaky and manipulative and rude, but he's never right. How can you not see that?"

Elena looks at her "I don't know, but why do I think that you won't hesitate to tell me?"

Caroline sighs "Fine, friend-tervention. I think your so-called "feelings" for Damon are really starting to cloud your judgment and I don't like it" Tyler walks over to them and stands next to Caroline.

Brie see's that the two girls are getting angrier with each other by the second "Okay Care that's enough" she says trying to settle Caroline down but didn't look like it worked.

Caroline ignores her and rattles on "And the thought of you two together really makes me want to barf"

"Babe you're making a scene" Tyler says putting his hand on her back to try comfort her.

Elena couldn't believe what Caroline was saying " Wow, Caroline, thank you for making this very difficult time so much easier"Elena walks away.

Caroline stands there with a blank look on her face "How did I become the bad guy?

Tyler moves from standing next to her to standing in front of her. "Come on, lets get you a drink" Tyler steps out the way to let Caroline go first and they both head to the drinks table.

After her two best friends were at each others throats, Brie is walking next to the pond on the Lockwood property. Elijah was over in the garden talking to Major Lockwood and looks over and notices Brie by herself and see's shes in need of company. He thought she looked exquisite and had been admiring her the day she came to Mystic Falls. He walks up to drinks table and grabs two glasses and a bottle of champagne and walks over to her.

"Looks like something is troubling you, would you like talk about it" Elijah asks as he offers her a glass of champagne.

Brie takes the glass and thanks him as she takes a sip and looks over at the view "So your heard huh?" She asks as she looks at him. He was dressed in his normal attire, black suit, shirt and tie. She had to admit he was looking good. He always looks good she thought. What was she saying? He's an original, he much older than she was. He gives her a look as to say everyone heard and she sighs It's just Caroline and the Elena situation, they aren't on the greatest of terms right now but hopefully it will blow over soon as everything usually does"

"Do you want to fill me in? Maybe I can offer a hand? If you want to?"

Brie takes another sip of her glass before she starts explaining the situation "Well as her best friend Caroline thinks its her duty to warn Elena when she's making a giant mistake and now she thinks Elena is taking Damon's side on everything"

Elijah raises his eyebrow and wonders "So, being a vampire's changed her?"

"Well I didn't really know as a human" a statement you don't usually say or hear she thought " But being a vampire only amplifies who you already are. It doesn't turn you into a completely different person"

"It's very peculiar" Elijah smirks and looks as if he knows something she doesn't.

Brie looks at him "What's that look for?"

"It'll all make sense eventually"

Brie rolls her eyes "Whatever, Klaus better just hurry up and find the cure" Brie sits down on a stone bench by the pond. Elijah places the champagne down next to her and looks at her

"He's working on it. Elijah sits next to her and starts to open the champagne bottle

"Would you ever take it?" Brie wondered as she looked at him.

"Now, why would I want to cure myself of being the most powerful creature on the planet?" He questioned

Brie moved turning her body towards him "So there's not one single moment in your whole life that you wanted to be human?"

Elijah looks at her and pours more champagne into her glass and then his. He avoids the question. "How about you?"

Across the lawn, Stefan is walking past and sees Brie and Elijah sitting together and drinking champagne. He listens into their conversation and hears them laughing together.

"I do miss being human, being normal. It will always be apart of my life but this is my life now, being a vampire. Would I go take the cure and go back to being a human? Maybe"

"You sound like you have second thoughts of being a vampire"

"Well it wasn't exactly my choice in the matter but at least I wont age and look old" Brie joked as Elijah smirked at the ground and then looked at her, he loved her smile. He could watch her smile and laugh forever. He wanted to make her happy.

"Definite perks of being a vampire"

"You look good though, don't look a day over 1,000" she complimented as she nudged his shoulder in a playful way.

"I will take that as a compliment, Miss Colace"

Brie smiles and moves closer to him, he could smell her scent "Good cause it was one" she said as she moved back to her original position and sipped her last mouth full of her champagne.

Kol watches them from a distance and sips his champagne as he looks on at his oldest brother enjoying his time with the newborn vampire. Klaus notices Kol looking at something very closely and walks over to see what is intriguing his younger sibling "Kol what are you doing?" Klaus asks as Kol doesn't answer him and is still looking over. Klaus looks over in the direction of his brother was looking at and see's Elijah and Brianna over by the pond talking and smiling which he thought was weird as his eldest sibling never smiles, he is always broody.

"What do you think is going on there?" Kol wonders, interrupting Klaus's thoughts.

"We shall find out" Klaus smirks and takes a full mouthful of his bourbon as he watches on.

As the night falls, Brie is at home about to get ready for bed as she gets a phone call from Stefan "Hey, missed you today"

"Are you about?" Stefan asks as he is sitting in the boarding house.

Brie becomes concerned "Yeah I'm in my house, how whats wrong?"

"Can I come over?" Stefan asks, hoping she says yes.

Brie looks at the time and sighs "Stefan its getting really late, can it wait?"

"No not really, but I guess if you don't want to see me"

Brie suddenly started feeling guilty "Okay Stefan but not for long though, its been a really long day and I am really just needing my bed"

Stefan nodded his head "Be round in a few" he said before hanging up.

Brie sighed as she began to unzip her dress and climb out of it and walks over to her chest of draws to grabs her the first pair of pj's she seen. After she got changed she hung her dress in her wardrobe before going into the bathroom and starts brushing her teeth. But the time she was done, Stefan had already let himself in.

Stefan pours a shot for himself and Brie as she walks down the stairs "Seen you let yourself in?" She asked as Stefan handed her the glass, she takes it and leads him into the living room.

They are sat in the living room, talking to one another. "Elena's right. I just need to let go"

'here we go again' Brie thought, she couldn't be bothered talking about Elena again tonight especially when she was tired as basically the full day was the talk to Elena "No, you're right, Stefan. It's not pretty and it's not easy, but you can't give up on her"

Stefan looks up at her "Brie, she looked me in the eye and she told me to move on"

Brie sighs "She's lost. Okay, you and her, epic. Her and Damon, ugh, God. There's something wrong with her. Just promise me you won't stop looking for the cure"

"Klaus won't let me even if I wanted to" Stefan places his shot glass down and pours himself another one.

"Why does he care? He doesn't even want it" Brie wondered as to why the original hybrid was so interested into finding the cure.

"He wants to keep Elena human so that he can make more hybrids" Stefan shrugged as he went to get another shot.

Brie sits back into her chair and relaxes and then suddenly Brie looks as if she just realised something "Oh my God" Stefan looks up at her, confused "Oh. My. God" Stefan holds his arms out in a gesture for her to explain what she means.

Brie stands up, still shocked by the discovery she has figured out. "I was trying to understand why Elijah was so intrigued by Damon and Elena. He said I would figure it out. This is what he was talking about"

Stefan was still not catching on "What are you talking about?"

"Think about it. Every time Elena's had a problem, Damon's been the magic solution. Today Elena was worried about Jeremy. Who swoops in and tells her to relax? Damon. And she listens" Stefan still looks confused "When Elena started feeding, who said that she could only drink blood straight from the vein?"

Stefan seems to be realising what Brie is getting at "Damon"

"And when she tried to drink from animals?"

"Name one vampire in the history of vampires who couldn't drink blood from a blood bag. Damon said she couldn't, so she couldn't. What if it's possible? Damon's blood made her a vampire, right?" Stefan looks up at her " It's rare, but it happens. What if this is one of those times?"

Brie sits back down. "What if this is really happening?"

Stefan leans forward "Elena's sired to Damon"

In the Mikaelson Mansion, Elijah was in the front room reading through his mothers grimoire as Klaus walks in the door and looks at elijah with a sly smile on his face and goes over to the bourbon table and pours a shot into a glass before taking a sip.

"Your starting earlier, aren't you not" Elijah questioned as he was flicking through the pages.

Klaus smiles and turns around "Keeping tabs on me, are we elijah"

"Whatever you get up to Niklaus, it wont concern me"

"You sure about that? You know Brianna was looking exquisite last night. Mm she looked delicious" Klaus said, knowing him mentioning Brianna to Elijah, would get a rise.

Elijah tuts and slowly shuts the grimoire and puts it down on the table "Whatever your thinking about Niklaus, don't. I don't want you harming her"

"Elijah, you think so badly of me. Do you really think I would do that?" He questioned, Elijah was about to answer but interrupted him "I was merely thinking about approaching her, asking her out for a drink. Get drunk and maybe do some very naughty things" Klaus joked as Elijah threw him against the wall. Elijah brushed down on his suit and lifted his finger.

"Niklaus, I will tell you once, and only once, you wont go near Brianna and if you do then you'll have me to deal with"

Klaus laughed at his brother being serious "Elijah take a joke mate, oh your getting very boring now, live a little" Klaus walks closer to Elijah "Only live once right" Klaus laughs as he walks out the room.

"This is a disaster! What if Caroline finds out? She'll go mental" Brie exclaimed.

"Look, we don't know anything for sure" Stefan said trying to calm Brie down.

"Yes we do! Elena is sired to Damon! Which means her one singular burning desire is to make him happy, just like Klaus and his hybrids!"

Stefan shakes his head "No it's not. A vampire sired to another vampire is one in a million. Maybe it won't affect her the same way"

"We already know it's affecting her. She's become Damon's lapdog" Stefan looks at her "It's true! Everything he says, she agrees with. Everything he asks her to do...she does"

Brie pulls her phone out and is ready to call Elena"

"Wait what are you doing?" Stefan asks as he's confused on what she is doing.

"Calling Elena" Brie said as she starts dialling Elena's number.

"Wait, no, hold on Brie "He stops her from calling her "This isn't gossip. You can't just drop this on her before we know what's happening for sure"

"I need to talk to Elijah. Maybe he'll know what to do"

"Why Elijah?" Stefan questions as he raises his eyebrow as he found it weird that Brie wants to speak to Elijah.

"He has experience maybe he's been through this before? I dunno" Brie said trying to make an excuse.

But looked like Stefan bought it "All right talk to Elijah but please don't tell anyone else. If this is true, then it may have influence on Elena's every action and emotion since she became a vampire"

"You've got my word Stefan" Brie looks outside and see that the sun is rising and rolls her eyes "Great, time for school" Brie says sarcastically and groans and stands up and makes her way upstairs to get ready for school.

As she makes her way to school, Brie see's Elena walking out of the boarding house, and see's Damon appearing at door and hides behind a bush and watches on making sure they don't see her. Elena gets closer to Damon and starts kissing him. Brie opens her mouth in an o shape as she looks on gobsmacked at whats happening in front of her. She overhears Elena saying see you later to Damon and gets into her car and drives off. Brie watches Elena drive off before vamp speeding in-front of Damon. Damon stands there, waiting to hear what Brie has to say "Listen, we need to talk"

Sometime later, Brie has told Damon everything about what her and Stefan have discovered about the sire bond. They sit down on the couch facing each other" "Sired? Really Brie? That is the most pathetic nonsense I've ever heard come out of your mouth, and you've said some crap in your day"

Brie rolls her eyes, it was like speaking to a brick wall, Damon wasn't the brightest of them all "It was your blood that turned her, right? I mean, she's been different from day one because of you. You can't deny that"

"Sure I can. I finally got Elena to a good place about being a vampire. You two idiots can't stand that she's happy because of me"

Brie sits back and relaxes "All right. You know what? Prove me wrong. Tell her it's OK to drink from a blood bag"

"She can't. Her weird doppelgänger body rejected the blood from the bag"

"Right, because you told her to. You said she had to drink warm human blood straight from the vein. She almost died to make you happy" From the look on Damon's face, he clearly doesn't believe in what Brie is saying "Look, just ask her to drink from a blood bag. Make sure you'll tell her how happy you'll be if it works, and if I'm wrong, I'll be the first to apologise"

"When her body rejects this blood, which it will, your apology better be epic" Brie rolls her eyes as Damon gets up and walks away.

At school, Elena is walking down the hallway as Brie and Caroline are at their lockers and see Elena approaching "So, girls' night? We can raid the Salvatore wine cellar"

Brie looks uncomfortable "Um, are you sure that Stefan and Damon are cool with us crashing at their place?"

Elena catches sight of Damon walking in the school, him motioning for her to talk to him "I can't go home because my brother is trying to kill me. So their place is mine now, too. I'll see you in a bit" Elena walks away to meet Damon with Caroline and Brie looking on. A moment later, Damon and Elena are alone in an empty classroom "You being here makes your selfish, secret day a little difficult, don't you think?"

Elena and Damon have their arms around one another and Damon pulls away and takes out a blood bag "Forgot your lunch"

Elena backs off a-bit "I can't. You know I can't"

"Well, last time you tried it, the circumstances were less optimal and I think maybe you should just give it another try, see if it works. I really think it will" Elena looks at Damon "Please for me?"

Damon hands Elena the blood bag and she rips the top open, putting it in her mouth. She takes a cautionary drink. Damon looks at her while she drinks it with concern. Elena takes it from her mouth, pauses, then drinks some more "Are you okay?"

She takes it out her mouth. "Mm, I'm fine. It tastes like blood. Last time, it was like hot garbage" She puts it back into her mouth and continues to drink"

"You sure you're okay?"

She nods and pulls the blood bag out of her mouth "I'm better than OK. I mean, maybe last time, it was a bad batch or something. I can't believe this, Damon. I don't have to hurt people anymore" She smiles, while Damon's face is hard. She throws her arms around Damon and hugs him. She pulls away" I have to get to class. Thank you. She kisses Damon before leaving for class.

Elena, Caroline, and Brie are partying. They are dancing and drinking while Caroline is capturing it all on her phone. Elena pours another glass of champagne for herself, but realises the bottle is empty. Elena uses her super speed and goes into the dining room, stands on the table, and grabs another bottle of champagne. Caroline and Brie cheer for her as she super speeds back into the room and pops the cork off the new champagne bottle. She pours herself another glass and the girls all hug each other and fall on the couch.

Upstairs, the girls have made their way into Damon's bathroom. Elena is lying in the empty tub and Brie and Caroline are sitting next to her. The three of them are giggling and having a great time.

"Check this out: Vamp-speed video" Caroline hands Elena her phone and Elena plays the video.

Elena starts laughing "I look like Superman. Watch this" She pauses the video at the point where she is super-speeding back into the room. The capture shows a giant blur behind her due to the speed at which she is running. She shows it to Brie and Caroline. "This year's Christmas card" They all laugh apart from Brie "Being a vampire is so weird. Oh my God, I love this bathtub. Why don't we come and hang out here more often?"

" I'll tell you why. Cooties. Think of all the germ-ridden skanks that Damon has lured into his den of enequity" Caroline giggles. Elena sits up in the bath tub and does not look amused by Caroline's attempt at a joke. "Okay, I'm sorry. I've been good all night. I am stopping now"

"No, don't stop on my account. Rip away. I mean, it's only Damon, right?" Elena said sarcastically.

"Well, say what you want about Ripper Stefan, but at least he wasn't a man slut"

" So, what exactly was it about him that made you jump right into bed with him as soon as you met him?"

Both Brie and Caroline looked shocked at Elena's comment "I didn't know what a sociopathic narcissist he was"

"He's always been there for me when I needed him" Elena says almost bragging.

"Yeah, because he's hoping you'll sleep with him"

"Well, maybe I did" Caroline and Brie look at her in shock.

"You did what?!" Caroline exclaimed.

"You didn't" Brie said but really she was thinking 'of course you did'

Elena nods "Yeah, I did. Look, I know you two have issues with him, but I'm happy, and I wanted to spend tonight with my best friends so that I could tell them about it" Elena gets up from the bathtub and walks away, leaving Caroline still in shock.

Elena went downstairs and started cleaning up the mess from the party in the parlor. Brie and Caroline come downstairs to talk to her "Party is over. You guys need to leave"

"Don't be mad, okay? We're just looking out for you"

Elena finally turns around and looks at them "Do you think it makes me happy that you guys hate him? I get it. His track record has been kind of spotty but I don't hate him. I can't. He's - I think I'm falling in love with him"

Brie had enough of this and opened her mouth "Ugh, you're not falling in love with him, Elena. You're sired to him" Caroline and Elena look at her in shock. Brie knows she shouldn't have revealed this and looks slightly ashamed when really she shouldn't be.

"What?" Caroline said still in shock.

"What are you talking about?" Elena asked looking confused.

Brie walks down the steps towards Elena. "Look, I'm sorry that it came out like that, but it's true. Damon's blood turned you. You couldn't feed from animals or blood bags because he told you so. Then he suggested that you try again with blood bags and suddenly.."

Elena interrupts her "No. There's no way, I..."

Caroline looks at Brie "Are you sure?"

Brie nods "Yeah. Ask Stefan about it. He can explain it better than I can"

Elena starts getting angry "I'm sorry, you talked to Stefan about this?"

"It's not your fault, Elena. Okay, Damon took advantage of you"

"Okay, you need to leave" Elena said getting angry. "Now!"

Elena strides past Caroline and Brie and walks to the front door

"I said leave"Elena opens the front door and looks at Caroline and Brie. Out on the porch are Adrian and Kimberley.

"Hello girls" Elena turns and looks at her. Kimberley rushes into the house and knocks Elena into the wall. She then rushes at Brie and grabs her by the throat. Adrian rushes in and grabs Elena who fights back and pushes him against another wall. Adrian gets the upper-hand eventually and slams Elena into the wall. Both of them have their hands wrapped around the others' throat.

Adrian throws Elena to the floor. Caroline helps Elena to get up. When they turn around, they see that Kimberley and Adrian have gone, but that Brie has been kidnapped as well.

"Brie" Caroline and Elena look out the front door and start to worry about Brie's whereabouts.


	4. Chapter 4

Tyler is talking on the phone with Hayley, while Elena is walking beside him, looking at her phone. "I get it, Hayley. I'll find them and I'll get them in line" Tyler hangs up on her.

"Bonnie says no luck with the locater spell"

"They've gotta be here. They're not dumb enough to risk getting caught by Klaus in town"

"Well, what do they want with Brie?" Elena stops walking and Tyler turns to face her.

"Kim is trying to prove that she's the Alpha. If I can make her submit, the pack will fall in line and we can finally get them free of Klaus. You'd think they'd play along with how much they hate him"

"But Adrian doesn't, does he? I mean he's still sired to Klaus"

"Being sired doesn't mean you feel differently about someone. I hated Klaus but I still did everything he said. The bond affects how you act, not how you feel"

Suddenly, they hear Brie scream. They run towards from where the screams came.

Brie's hands are tied up in shackles. Kimberley presses down on the chains and Brie shouts in pain "Arghh. Why are you doing this?"

"To show Tyler who's in charge" Kimberley cracks Brie's wrists and Brie again screams in pain. Tyler and Elena rush into the barn and towards them.

"Stop! Stop it, Kim. Brie's with us. All right? We're all on the same team"

"She's on your team, not mine" Behind Tyler and Elena, the other hybrids enter the barn. The hybrids restrain Elena and Tyler while Kimberley continues to torture a screaming Brie. Tyler attempts to free himself from the grasp of the two hybrids holding him back"

"Stop it! Stop!" Elena exclaimed, nearly crying.

"Ease up, Kim. Klaus won't like this"

Kimberly smirks "That's a very good point. Do you think he'll like this?" Kimberley picks up a stake and shows it to Tyler and the rest of the hybrids.

"Kim! Don't do it. I swear to God!" Kimberley lowers the stakes towards Brie's heart.

"No, wait, wait, wait, wait. If you really want to hit Klaus where it hurts, then torture me instead. He's fixated on keeping me alive. You want real revenge or not?" Kimberley hesitates for a moment but lowers the stake. She gets up and moves toward Elena. She grabs Elena by the throat and is ready to kill her when Tyler manages to get himself loose from the hybrids holding him back. He grabs Kimberley and sticks his hand in her chest and grabs her heart. Kimberley gasps in pain. The other hybrids move towards her.

"Stay back! I'll rip her heart out right now!" Tyler shouted angrily. The hybrids don't make any more moves towards the pair of them. Tyler looks Kimberley dead in the eye "Kim put you all at risk today but I'm not gonna hurt her. I'm not Klaus. I don't kill and torture my own friends to get what I want. Now, we broke the sire bond, but if you want to be free we have to work together. No one can step out of line. Now, you're either with me or you're against me. Submit. Submit or you die"

Kimberley falls down on her knees and Tyler kneels down with her, keeping his hand in her chest and his grasp around her heart.

" I'm...I'm sorry" Kim said, struggling for breath. Tyler removes his hand from her chest. Kimberley gasps and catches her breath. Tyler stands up and looks down at Kimberley. He looks around at the other hybrids. One by one, all of the other hybrids get down on their knees, submitting to Tyler and showing him that he is the Alpha.

Elena walks down the stairs towards the door as Brie enters the house. They look at each other for a moment and then Brie hugs Elena tightly "I'm sorry!" There is a moment of silence between them as Brie holds on to Elena "Okay, if you don't start hugging me back this is gonna get really awkward really fast.

"You've got my hands pinned down" Elena said awkwardly as her arms are against her sides.

"Oh"Brie says awkwardly as she takes her arms away from around Elena for a second, then wraps them around her again. Elena wraps her arms around Brie as well and they embrace "I'm a jerk. I promise to never again judge ever"

"Just please don't tell Stefan about me and Damon" Elena begged. They stop hugging each other and look at each other "I promise that I'll tell him. I just need to figure out some stuff first"

Brie nods "Of course" Brie rubs Elena's arm. Caroline walks in from behind Elena

" You guys friends again?" Caroline ask as both Elena and Brie nod "Thank God"

Brie turns to Caroline "Well, she saved my life. In spite of me being the nasty, bitch"

"And so was I, Elena I am sorry. I hate when we are on bad terms. And I am really for all the Damon bashing. I really am"

Elena nods "I understand why you did it. You are only trying to look over for me"

"I was, but I done it in the harshest way possible and I am sorry" Caroline said as she walks closer to Elena to give her a hug. They embrace. Brie joins in and shouts 'group hug' and they all laugh.

—

Brie is sitting in a chair in the living room while Stefan is talking to her.

"So you spoke to Damon?" Brie asked as she sat on the porch.

Stefan sighed "Yeah I did"

"You feel sorry for him?" Brie asked as she put her head against her shoulder.

"There's no other way to break a vampire sire bond. As much as you and I both hate it, Damon does love Elena. Now he has to completely let her go. Ever imagine having to do that?"

"I'm sorry I told her. Okay, I kind of didn't have a choice. All I know is he better do what he's supposed to do"

Stefan sits down "He'll do it. He's not as bad as he wants you to think. He'll do what he needs to do, he told me he would"

"Is that all he told you?"

Stefan looks at her "What do you mean?"

"Nothing. It's just" she sighs. "It's just, how can you trust him?"

"Because I think he loves her as much as I do. He can't be selfish with her. Not anymore" Brie nods understandingly.

In the town square, the Winter Wonderland charity event is in full swing, complete with fake snow. Caroline and Tyler and standing in the middle of the square "You're going to do what?!"

"Hayley found a witch strong enough to do the body jump spell. You know, the Klaus specialty"

"So, you're going to put him in someone else's body and then what?"

"We'll encase the body in concrete then bury it"

"Why not just desiccate him like Bonnie did?"

Tyler: Because to do that spell, you have to stop a human heart. I was a little short of volunteers.

"Well, who was dumb enough to volunteer their body to be a Klaus sublet?" Tyler sighs but doesn't respond. Caroline's face falls as she realises that Tyler is the volunteer.

"Okay, don't freak out"

"Freak out! Freak out?! I'm about to haemorrhage! You volunteered?!"

"It's not forever. Just long enough for the hybrids to be able to completely disappear"

"Well, I can think of better ways for us to spend our senior year then you buried in concrete, Tyler" Caroline has grown increasingly angry, but Tyler's face remains calm. He gently grabs Caroline by the shoulders and looks directly at her.

"This started with me. This has to end with me."

Caroline can't seem to bear looking Tyler in the eyes. She continues to look down at the ground.

"I need your support" Caroline finally looks up at him with sad eyes.

Stefan is sitting on a couch in the library, reading through some old papers. His phone goes off and he answers it. "Hey, sorry, I know I'm late"

Brie is on the other end, walking across the town square through the Winter Wonderland. "If I'm gonna be a friend in your time of need, then you to need to work on your punctuality. I'm in a crisis. Where are you?"

Stefan: I'm at my house. Why? What's wrong?

"Why are you at your house? Aren't you trying to keep your distance from Elena?"

"Well, she's not here anymore. Damon took Jeremy to the Gilbert lake house with Bonnie so I guess her house is safe for her again. Hey, listen, I got Klaus to tell me a little bit more about this Hunter's sword. You know that map in Jeremy's tattoo? The sword decodes it. It's literally the key to finding the cure"

"Klaus told you this?"

Stefan: Yeah, why?

"And did he happen to hand over the sword for safekeeping?"

"Uh, what do you think" Brie sighs.

Stefan knew something was wrong "What's wrong?"

"We need to get our hands on that sword. Like today. Tyler and his hybrids are taking out Klaus tonight"

Outside in the Town Square, children are running around in the fake snow and starting snowball fights. Inside the Grill, Brie is admiring the postmodern snowflake Klaus painted. She seems to notice she is being watched and turns to see Klaus looking at her. He smiles at her and she turns to face him. "Here to steal Tiny Tim's crutches?"

"Dickens was a dark man. You would have liked him" Klaus walks around the table towards her, but Brie makes her way to the other side of the table so that they are still apart.

"Nice snowflake, by the way" Brie commented.

"Is my work really that literal?"

"I'm serious. There's something, lonely about it"

"I'm gonna take that as a compliment. Can I offer you some champagne?" Brie turns around and starts to walk away. Klaus pursues her.

"Can't. Too many adult prying eyes" Brie turns around to face Klaus who has closed the gap between them. "Don't want to be a high school cautionary tale at the next town meeting"

"Well, then it's a good thing the high school part is nearly over" They stare at each other for a brief moment.

"If we're going to be nice to each other, then I will need that glass of champagne" Klaus smiles, he could care less about Elijah's warning and walks closer towards her.

"Is that our thing" Klaus smirks.

Brie scoffs and rolls her eyes "We don't have a "thing."

"Allow me" Klaus smiles at her again and walks away to get them some champagne. Brie watches him walk away. When she is positive that he can't see her any longer, she takes out her phone and texts Stefan "He's here. Go."

In the Mikaelson Mansion, Stefan rips off the handle from the vault and places it down. He opens up the vault and sees that the sword is no longer there. He seems frustrated.

Stefan has apparently called Damon, who is still at the lake house, and they banter with each other over the phone "Well, he's not walking around with it. Check the rest of the house"

"I am. I haven't found anything"

"Try the sock drawer. People leave the sketchiest stuff in sock drawers"

"I'm gonna need real ideas, Damon" Stefan decides to continue his search and starts by opening up an old trunk.

"Here's two: Kill Tyler before he goes to Klaus or, since Klaus has suddenly become MVP in our relay race for the cure, tell him about the hybrids and he'll kill Tyler"

Stefan picks up a handwritten letter reading "Mon Amour, Les jours passent trop long si loin de toi.", French for "My Love, The days pass too long so far from you."

"Nobody's killing Tyler" Stefan picks up a long handwritten letter addressed to "My Love" from "Alphonso" and becomes silent as he reads it.

"Hello? Stefan?" Stefan finally puts the letter down and talks to Damon again.

"Look, I know it's a touchy subject, but do you know where Elena is today?"

Damon looks incredibly guilty on the other end of the line "I think she's running around...trying to figure out how to deprogram Jeremy"

"How'd she take it last night? You telling her to stay away from you?"

Once again, Damon looks like he is feeling guilty, especially since Stefan appears to be very sympathetic towards him. "Not well"

"You okay?"

"Peachy" There's a moment of silence between them which Damon breaks quickly. "Gotta go. Bonnie has enlisted Dr. Evil in her plan and I have to thwart him" Damon quickly hangs up his phone.

Stefan is leaning against the wall in the alleyway outside the Grill. Brie approaches him and he stands up to face her "Hey. Did you find the sword?"

"Nope"

"What are we gonna do now?"

"Klaus is the only shot we have at finding the cure. We need him. Tyler has to call it off"

"Well, that's not gonna happen" Stefan turns around and looks at Tyler who has appeared on the stairway. Tyler looks at Brie.

"You told him?" Tyler walks down the remaining steps towards Brie and Stefan.

"She never told me, Caroline did. She has been worried about you" Stefan said trying to intervene.

"I've had twelve hybrids sworn to secrecy for a month. I have Hayley and a witch risking their lives and you and Caroline blabbing my plan to him?"

Stefan steps forward, closing the gap between him and Tyler "Look, all I'm asking you for is a little bit of time, okay?"

Tyler: How long? An hour? A day? Because every minute that goes by that we don't do this, they're at risk. You and Klaus already served one of them up for Jeremy to kill" Tyler looks over Stefan's shoulder at Brie, who looks down shamefully. He looks back at Stefan. "I don't owe you anything"

Tyler turns around and starts to walk away." I'm taking him out"

Stefan uses his super speed and moves in front of Tyler, frightening him.

Stefan moves closer "I'm sorry, but I can't let you do that"

Brie looks up at the stairs "Stefan"

Stefan looks at Brie "I'm sorry but I can't"

"Stefan!" Brie is looking over Stefan's shoulder. Stefan turns around and sees a half dozen of the hybrids standing on the stairs behind him. Brie turns around and sees the remaining hybrids in the alleyway, blocking any means of escape.

"Sorry man, but you don't have a choice"

Tyler takes a chain from on top of a box."Keep them down here until we're ready to bring Klaus in" He drops the chains in front of Kim. "Use these if you have to"

Stefan walks closer to Tyler "Come on, Tyler, this is bigger than you. It's about more than revenge for us"

Tyler closes the gap between them "I know what it's about for you, Stefan. It's about the cure. You know what happens to a hybrid when he's cured of being a vampire? We go back to being werewolves; turning on every full moon. We could give a rat's ass about the cure"

Tyler walks past Stefan. Brie steps forward towards Tyler "Tyler, come on"

"I needed you on my side, Brie. That's all I wanted" The hybrids are still keeping Brie and Stefan prisoner in the cellar.

"Ugh, this is ridiculous. We are not hostages!" Brie exclaimed.

"Sure you are, sweetie" Brie glares at her and super speeds to stand right in front of her. Brie and Kim stare each other down. Stefan's phone starts to ring. The other hybrids start to advance on him "Relax" They all stop in their tracks "It's my brother" He answers the phone. "What's up?"

"Don't ask how or why or who, but I just found the answer to your Tyler problem" Stefan listens to the rest of what Damon has to say which is not heard by anyone.

"You're kidding" Stefan hangs up his phone and looks at Brie "We don't need the sword" Brie subtly raises her eyebrows at this revealing information.

Brie walks into the bathroom with Tyler and Hayley following her in. Brie turns and looks at them. "How the hell did you even get out?" Tyler questioned.

Brie crossed her arms "I got out because even your idiot hybrids recognise the stupidity of your Alpha hybrid murder plan"

"I'm not going to fight with you anymore, Brie"

Brie laughs sarcastically "Oh, we're going to do plenty of fighting, the second that you shove Klaus into someone else's body and I am sure Caroline will have something to say about it"

"We've been through this; I don't have anyone else's body"

"Yeah, well I do" Hayley says as Brie looks at her.

"What? Who?"

"Klaus' sister, Rebekah" Brie and Tyler look at her curiously

"How the hell did you do that?" Brie said looking a little shocked.

"She's got a dagger in her. Adrian's been hiding her coffin in the tunnels. We dump Klaus into her body, bury her, we just killed two Original birds with one stone"

Tyler continues to stare at Brie and starts to smile at her brilliant idea. Tyler turns back and faces Brie "Call Bonnie, make sure it will work"

"Tyler!" Tyler turns around and looks at Brie "It's a brilliant plan, Hayley"

Brie turns around and pulls out her phone. She sends a text to Brie saying "We have a problem" and another one saying "The plan is falling apart."

" I gotta go find my mom. Let her know I might actually graduate" Tyler exits the bathroom.

Bonnie's phone starts to ring and she picks it up "Brie, hey"

"Bonnie, I need you to think fast. I know that the daggers don't work on Klaus but what if we put his essence into Rebekah? Please say it will work"

Bonnie gets up and walks off so she can hear Brie better. "Slow down, slow down, what's happening?"

"Just, come on, Bonnie. Will it work?" Hayley looks down at her phone and reads the text Shane has just sent her.

"Yeah, I don't see why not"

Brie smiles "Uh, Bonnie Bennett, I love you!"

"Do you need my help? I can leave Elena here with Jeremy"Bonnie says as she see's Elena and Jeremy talking.

"Elena? She's there too?" Brie asked, trying to heat right.

"Yeah, she came with Damon. Who's being slightly less horrible than usual"

Brie is clearly angered by the fact that Elena and Damon are still with each other "You know what? I can't deal with this right now" Brie hangs up on Bonnie. She turns and sees Hayley in front of the door. "She said it would work"

"I gathered. Congratulations"

"Thank you" Brie walks towards the door and Hayley steps aside. Before Brie can open the door, Hayley grabs her from behind and snaps her neck, temporarily killing Brie. Brie falls to the floor.

"My pleasure" Hayley smirks.

April enters the restroom and tries to open up the stall door, but it is jammed "Oh, sorry" April then seems to worry that something might be wrong in the stall and knocks gently "Oh, hello, are you okay? Um.." April opens the door of the stall and Brie's body falls to the ground. April backs away in shock "Oh my gosh!" April kneels down next to her body and shakes her by the shoulders. "Brie!" April places her fingers on her neck, trying to find a pulse, but can't seem to find one. She starts to panic. "Somebody help! Help!" April quickly gets up and frantically tries to leave the bathroom, but Brie finally awakens from the dead and uses her super speed to get in front of the door before April can leave.

"Have you seen Hayley" April turns around and looks down where Brie used to be, clearly confused. Brie acts very nonchalant about the whole thing and takes out her phone to call Stefan. April looks back at Brie.

"You didn't have a pulse. You were dead" Brie glances at her but does not help April calm down by any means. In fact, she was probably about to make it worse.

"Stefan, it's me. That little werewolf slut has lost her mind. Go to the Lockwood Cellar and make sure that Rebekah's body is still there. I'm gonna find Tyler. Hayley is trying to screw this up" Brie hangs up her phone and looks at April with a smile. She walks over to her and gently grabs her shoulders. April looks at her, completely horrified. Brie starts to compel her.

April quickly walks out of the restroom, not looking at Brie as she leaves. Brie breathes a sigh of relief. When Brie walks out of the restroom, Matt intercepts her "There you are. Stefan's been looking for you. Adrian's leading Klaus to the Cellar"

"How come the only time April Young isn't following you around like a lost puppy is when I'm lying dead with a broken neck?" Brie pulls her phone out and looks down at it.

"April saw you?"

"Yeah, it's okay, I compelled her"

"No, she's wearing Jeremy's vervain bracelet" Brie looks up at him, horrified "She can't be compelled"

Tyler is on the phone and leaving a voice message for his mom "Hey mom, I don't see you. Things have changed, it's gonna be fine" Tyler sees Hayley walking through the crowd. "I'll be back later. I'll pick you up" He hangs up and walks over to Hayley. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be taking the witch to the Cellar"

"There is no witch, Tyler. I made it up. I don't know how to explain it, but I made a deal with someone who can help me find my family"

"What are you talking about? What kind of deal?"

"There needed to be twelve for the sacrifice, Tyler"

"Hayley, what did you do?"

"If you run now, you might make it out alive"

Tyler looks at her with a mixture of horror and shock. Tyler continues to stare at Hayley while he backs away. He turns around and dashes through the crowd.

Kim and the other hybrids are waiting in the woods "Where the hell is the witch? Adrian should be here any minute"

There is a rushing noise that all the hybrids hear. They turn around and see Adrian "Kim"

Suddenly, Adrian's heart is torn from his body "No!"

"I never intended for you to put Klaus down. I needed him for the sacrifice"

Adrian falls down on his knees. Klaus stands behind him holding out his bloody heart in his hand. He drops it on the ground. His face shows nothing but pure rage. He has the Hunter's sword in his hand and begins to rush at the hybrids, slashing at them with the sword.

Klaus has slashed at one of the hybrids who falls to the ground, dead. Another hybrid jumps at him, ready to attack him, but Klaus slices her head off with the sword. Klaus slashes at another hybrid's throat with the sword. Klaus throws the sword at another hybrid and pinning him to a tree. Klaus rips the heart out of the hybrid that is pinned to the tree. Klaus takes the sword out of the now dead hybrid's chest and slashes the throat of another one of his hybrids. Klaus stands in the midst of all the dead hybrids. He breathes heavily and has blood splashed across the front of his shirt. He hears Kim crying and hiding down in the Lockwood Cellar. He proceeds to follow her. Kim trips down the remaining stairs and looks up from the floor as Klaus walks down towards her. She attempts to back away from him. She gets up and grabs the bars of the Cellar, trying to find a way out as she continues to sob. She turns and looks at Klaus.

"Where is Tyler Lockwood?"

Kim continues to cry, but does not answer. Klaus points the sword at her throat and moves closer towards her "You'd do well to answer me, love"

Klaus places the blade against her throat and screams in her face. "Where is he?!"

"I don't know"

"Wrong answer"Klaus pushes the blade into her throat. Kim gasps for air, but Klaus successfully presses the blade through her neck and chops her head off. He turns around and starts to walk off. His face is not full of rage anymore but seemingly full of sadness and loneliness. He breathes out a sigh.

Tyler walks into the small clearing where all of the dead hybrids lie. He looks around at all of his dead friends with sadness. Down in the cellar, Tyler sees Kim's dead body. He walks out of the cellar, clearly in anguish. He does not notice that April is hiding behind the wall. She is in tears and looks very frightened. She hears Tyler leave and walks out from behind the wall. She approaches the coffin lying in the middle of the cellar and opens it. She sees Rebekah daggered in the coffin and April starts to gasp for air.


	5. Chapter 5

A memorial service for Carol Lockwood is underway in the gym of the high school. The students are lighting candles in glass cups as part of the service. Liz is speaking at a podium in front of the stand. Tyler is among the students, silent but looking on edge.

"Please join me in observing a minute silence in her memory" Everyone puts their heads down for the minute of silence. Brie looks over to the other side of the gym and sees Rebekah. She closes her eyes and looks over again, but finds Rebekah isn't there anymore. "Are you okay?" Bonnie whispers.

"Be right back" Brie stands up and leaves the gym. Brie is walking down the hallway and stops when she hears someone crying, she turns around the corner and finds April "April, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm fine" April says trying to wipe her tears away.

"But you're crying?" Brie said walking closer to her.

"It's just the whole death thing, you know. It's bringing stuff up about my dad" Brie nods. "And I know you're a vampire"

Brie looks shocked "Wait, what?"Rebekah comes out of nowhere and snaps Brie's neck.

"Was that necessary?"

"No, but it was fun" Rebekah smiles.

Brie has awakened and is leaning against a bookshelf in the library. She looks around and then gets up. April walks in. "What the hell is going on?"

"The school will be empty soon...How many times did you compel me?"Brie looks at her. "Don't...don't lie. Rebekah says you lie."

Brie slouches up against the wall, trying to pull herself up "Rebekah isn't who you think she is, April"

"What? She's not a thousand-year-old Original vampire?"

Brie looks surprised as to Rebekah letting April know on her little secret "Listen, we can figure this out, but we have to get out of here"

Brie pulls April with her, they turn a corner and Rebekah is standing there.

"Sorry, not allowed. Rebekah walks up to Brie and compels her "Why don't you take a seat? The rest of the class will be here shortly"

Stefan's phone rings; he looks at his phone and it says "Unknown Caller". He answers it irritably "What?"

"Guess who? I'm back, dagger-free, and I'm holding Brie hostage at the high school. Just thought you should know"

"Who the hell was dumb enough to pull that dagger out of you?"

"I'll be asking the questions today. See you soon" Rebekah hangs up, Stefan downs what's left of his drink and calls Caroline

"How would you like to drive the white oak stake through Rebekah's heart?"

"If it means that you're not drinking your way through the Mystic Grill, sure" Stefan walks out of Mystic Grill.

Caroline is walking down the hallway with the white oak stake in her hand. She looks in a classroom for Rebekah. She texts Stefan "2nd floor clear..." She hears a noise and turns around. Stefan is walking along another hallway and gets her text. He looks in another classroom. He hears a noise and looks towards the end of the hallway and texts Caroline "1st floor. I'll distract her. You stake her." but is interrupted when Rebekah shows up. "Hello, Stefan"

He puts his phone in his pocket " I'm here. What do you want?"

"The same thing I wanted when Hayley helped Niklaus dagger me"

"The cure."

Rebekah pushes him against the lockers, Stefan grabs her and pushes her against the lockers "I hope you're not waiting for Caroline to show up and stake me..." She shows him the stake "because I already found her"

A few moments later, Rebekah walks into the library with Stefan.

"Stefan" Brie gets up.

"Did I say you could move?" Brie sits back down. "Class is in session. You've all been compelled; you know the rules. Answer my questions honestly, no disobedience, no one leaves. April, my sweet, take notes. This is how you get answers in this town. Let's start with a little quiz. In the year 1114, my brother learnt, thanks to yours truly, about a brotherhood of vampire hunters with tattoos that grew with each kill. These tattoos revealed what, Brianna"

"A map" Brie said rolling her eyes as she didn't have time for Rebekah's games.

Rebekah smiles towards Brie then turns her attention to Caroline "Which led to...? Caroline?"

"A cure for vampirism"

"Perfect, so we're all caught up. Stefan Salvatore, the last time we saw each other, you had a vampire hunter, but in order to decode the map, you needed the location of the hunter's sword, which you got out of me using some very dirty tricks. Assuming you found the sword, you also found the cure, and yet, you're all still vampires, which means something went wrong"

"You're wasting your time. We don't know anything" Stefan says leaning back on his chair.

"So, you just gave up? I thought you would do anything to save Elena? Even if it meant taking the cure yourself, so you could grow old and die with her?" Caroline, Stefan and Brie looked at each other awkwardly " I'm missing something. What is it?"

Brie sighs "They broke up, okay?"Rebekah smiles. "Now let us go"

"Broke up? Wait, I'm confused. I thought Elena was your epic love, Stefan?" Rebekah sits down in April's chair and she looks at Stefan. "I asked you what happened. You have to tell me."

"She slept with Damon" Stefan said bluntly.

Brie looks at Stefan, surprised, and then she looks at Caroline who looks remorseful.

Rebekah, Brie, Stefan, and Caroline are still sitting at a table alone in the library. Rebekah stands up "So, vampire Elena is a trollop who likes bad boys, which explains why Stefan reeks of alcohol. But what it doesn't explain is why sweet, loving, innocent Elena could be so heartless towards Stefan. How could she hurt you like that? Answer, please"

"She didn't know it at the time, but she was sired to Damon" Rebekah sits at a chair between Stefan and Brie.

"A sire bond. That's fascinating"

"Rebekah enough with this. I think you're sad and bored and in desperate need of a hobby" Brie exclaims. "What does any of this have to do with the stupid cure?"

"You're right. We got off the point. Stefan, how do I find the cure? Unless, you'd rather talk about Damon and Elena all day"

"There's a professor. He knows where the cure is" Stefan fesses.

Rebekah smiles at Stefan as she is beginning to get somewhere "Thank you. And, uh, where do I find this professor?"

Tyler is sitting on the couch. His phone rings; he gets up and sees that it's Caroline calling " I told you, I don't wanna talk"

"I heard, and you're keeping all that rage bottled up inside. Caroline's worried sick about you"

Tyler heard a familiar voice on the other line "Rebekah?"

"Hello, Tyler. I heard my brother made a real mess of your life. Believe me, I can relate. You have my condolences. In fact, why don't you come down to the high school so you can accept them in person?

Tyler stands up "And why would I do that?"

"Because I have your girlfriend. Maybe you have a better shot saving her than you did your mother. Bye now!" She hangs up. Tyler, angry, throws his phone at the wall and it explodes into pieces.

Back at Mystic Falls High school. Everyone was silent, looking at each other trying to think of a way to get out of this. Brie was about to open her mouth until the door flew open and revealed Professor Shane and then behind him in comes Kol "Sister" He began and looked around the room and smiled at his sister "Look at this! You're even worse than Klaus" Kol looks around the room and see's Brie and looks back at Rebekah "Does Elijah know about this?"

'Why was Elijah mentioned' Brie thought and listened into the conversation between the original twins.

Rebekah ignored his question " Kol, finally. You brought him here" Rebekah looks at shane and smiles "You must be Shane"

Kol shoves Shane into a custodial closet, Rebekah close behind them.

" Kol and Rebekah Mikaelson...two members of the Original vampire family. This is such a trip"

Rebekah tries to compel him "Where's the cure?"

"Compulsion won't work. It's a little trick I picked up in Tibet"

"Right. Well, we'll just have to do this the old-fashioned way.

"Rebekah what is the meaning of this?"

Rebekah looks at him confused "What do you mean?"

"Brianna. I mean. Does Elijah know about your little game?"

Rebekah crosses her arms "And why would Elijah care what I've got in store for Miss Colace?"

"He seems to have taking a liking to her. Even Klaus, but then again who doesn't he fancy" Kol jokes as his sister rolls her eyes.

Rebekah rolls her eyes and thenlooks towards Shane's direction and then back at Kol "Just beat him until he tells you where to find it" Rebekah walks out of the room, leaving Kol and Shane there.

Rebekah walks back to the library where Stefan, Brie and Caroline are sitting at the table. "Still glued to your seats? Ahh, it's thick with tension in here" Suddenly Tyler runs through the door and Rebekah turns her attention to him "Ah, good, you're here. It was just getting depressing"

Tyler see's Caroline, Stefan and Brie sat in a circle "What the hell is going on?"

"Listen to the rules carefully. Stay in the building, no vamp-running in the hallways"

Caroline raises her eyebrow "Vamp-running from what?"

Rebekah looks Tyler in the eye and compels him "Turn"

Caroline stands up from her seat, fighting the compulsion "He can't, he'll lose control!"

Rebekah softly laughs "That's the whole point. I've exhausted all your knowledge. Now I have the professor to help me find the cure, you're just competition. Whoever finds it first gets to decide what to do with it. Use it, share it, destroy it, save it. I want that to be me"

"But if I turn, I'll kill them" Tyler says looking a little scared for the others.

"Yes, you will. Turn" Rebekah walks out.

The compulsion has started as Tyler slams into the bookshelf, causing many books to fall "Agh! I can fight this!" He breathes heavily and falls to the floor. He crawls over to a table and pulls himself up. He grunts as his bones break. Caroline, Brie and Stefan look at him from a distance. He slams his arms on a table, breaking it. "Get out of here!"

Stefan looks at Brie and Caroline "Go-go!"

The three run into the hallway, and Stefan closes the door. Tyler's screams can be heard. "That door's not gonna hold him!" Brie shouts. Inside the library, Tyler's eyes glow amber, and his fangs emerge. He rams the door open and runs into the hallway after Brie and Stefan. Brie and Stefan close a door, trying to get away from Tyler. Stefan takes the fire axe and sticks it in the door handles. Tyler's growls can be heard as he rams into the door. The door is denting and opening; Stefan and Brie struggle to keep it closed. Brie rips off a locker door and sticks it through the door handles. Stefan and Brie back away from the door and stare at each other. They both charge at the door, banging it shut. It becomes quiet; Tyler is gone. Stefan shuts the door behind them and locks it. He stays by the door, looking through the door window. There was no sign of Tyler. Brie heard a creaking noise behind her and turns around and see's Tyler in wolf form stalking her. "Stefan" Brie said quietly still looking at Tyler. "Is that door locked?"

"I locked it Brie, incase Tyler tries to get through" Stefan said still having his back turned.

Brie gulps, her attention still on Tyler as he starts getting closer "You need to unlock it" Tyler starts growling quietly.

"Brie are you crazy. If he gets through he'll kill is both"

Brie nervously chuckled "Yeah well we are gonna get killed if we don't move"

"What are you talking about?" Stefan said finally turning around and see's Tyler. Tyler growls one more time before he starts charging at him.

"Now!" Brie screamed as Stefan unlocked the door and they both ran as Tyler was close behind. As they turned a corner, Brie tripped and fell. Stefan stopped in his tracks as he heard Brie groan in pain.

"Brie stay very still" Stefan said, standing still as he locked eyes with Tyler.

Brie turned around slowly and seen Tyler stalking her once again. She slowly stood up keeping her eyes on Tyler. "Stefan go, find Caroline and make sure shes safe"

"Brie I am not leaving you" Stefan said sternly.

"Go Stefan!" Brie yelled as Stefan was reluctant ay first then vamp speeds out the hallway leaving Tyler and Brie standing face to face.

Brie breathes nervously "Okay Tyler it's just you and me" Tyler growls louder this time which makes Brie even more nervous. "Okay on second thought, bye" Brie smiled and started running but ended up banging into someone. She got a fright and looked up "Elijah" and before she could say anything else, he grabbed her and vamp speed out of the school.

Meanwhile on the other side of the school. Stefan is looking Caroline "Caroline?!" Stefan calls out walking down the corridor and hears a bang. He quickly picks up a mop and breaks it in half and holds it out, using it as a weapon if he needs to.

The door opens and Rebekah strides in.

Stefan is standing before Rebekah "And then there was one. I am sorry to hear about Elena, Stefan. Thought she was your Epic love"

"Leave her out of this. This is between me and you"

"You're still protecting her even though she slept with Damon? Must I rip your bleeding heart from your chest and show you the scar tissue that is Elena Gilbert? There's a solution to all your problems, you know. I could compel him. Erase every memory he has of you...every day you spent together, every kiss, every lie, every ounce of pain...I could take away every bit of love he has for you. Give you both a clean slate. Just say the word, and I'll make you and all that misery you caused him disappear"

"Do it"

Rebekah stares at him for a moment before laughing "No. That'd be far too easy. I refuse to make you forget her the way Klaus made you forget your eternity of pain my revenge, Stefan. I've used you for all you're worth, so now, you're free to go" Rebekah leaves,Stefan pauses a moment, then turns around and starts to leave as well.

Caroline walks into the gym with a blunt object in her hands. She sees Tyler lying naked on the floor near a table covered with candles that were used in the memorial service "Tyler!" She drops her weapon, runs to him, grabs the tablecloth from the table and wraps it around his bare body.

Tyler is in pain, and Caroline holds him in her arms "I'm so sorry"

"What? No, it's not your fault"

"Yes, it was. This whole thing...it's all my fault"

"No..."

Tyler starts crying. He's looking at a photo of his mom on the table "I should have saved her"

The two sit there, crying, as Caroline consoles Tyler.

In the Car on the way back to hers, after arguing with Elijah to take her back to the school to help Stefan. Brie is in the passengers side as Elijah was driving "How did you where I was?" Brie asked as she wondered how he knew where she was and that she was in trouble.

Elijah didn't look at her as he kept his eyes on the road "I had a terrible feeling that something was wrong so I got your witchy friend Miss Bennett to do location spell to find out where you were. I saved you and now we are here"

"Why?" She asked "I mean, thank you for saving me if you want to call that but why?"

"Miss Colace, we have only crossed paths not so many times but when we have, I have taking a liking as you young ones would say and I feel like its my duty to protect you"

He likes me? No he cant. Why would he like someone like me? All these questions were in her head that she would like to ask but maybe that was for another time "Elijah you don't owe me anything. I am flattered that you like me but I don't see why"

Elijah glanced at her for a moment "What's not to like, you're kindhearted, passionate and most of all beautiful" Brie couldn't help but blush at Elijah's kind compliment. "Brianna I haven't taking a liking to someone this much since my ex finance had taking her own life"

She wanted to ask how she died but seemed too personal so she just left it "Oh my god, Elijah I am so sorry"

Elijah shakes his head "No need to be sincere it was long over a decade now. A lot has happened in that period of time" He says giving her a comforting smile before looking back at the road.

Brie relaxed in her seat and stayed silent through the rest of the car journey back to her house. As Elijah parked the car in her driveway she sat up straight as Elijah had switched the car off. "Thanks again for helping me"

"It was my pleasure Miss Colace"

"Please call me Brie"

"What about Brianna" Elijah asked.

Brie giggles and shakes her head "Brie will do" she smiled as did he. She opened the car door and was about to get out until Elijah grabbed her hand gently. Brie turned her head and seen that they were hand in hand. Elijah slowly moved closer and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

Brie couldn't help but blush again "Sleep well Brianna, I mean Brie" Elijah smiled as Brie's smile grew bigger.

"Goodnight Elijah" She said before getting out the car and heading into her house. Elijah watched her walk in the door, making sure she got in safe without any problem and drove off when he knew she was safe.

Brie got in the door and placed her keys on her unit before going upstairs and putting her pyjamas on. She walked into the bathroom and started running the tap to brush her teeth. After she brushed her teeth she wash her face and heard her phone bleep. She walked out the bathroom, turning the light of after her. She picked up her phone and seen a message from an unknown caller. She unlocked her phone and read the message

From Unknown Caller;

"It was nice seeing you again Brianna, hope you sleep well" Brie rolled her eyes as Elijah called her but her full name but smiled at the message.

She replied back "Yeah it definitely was, thanks again for saving me and dropping me off, was much appreciated" she sent the message and turned her phone off and got into bed, before turning the light off.


	6. Chapter 6

A few days passing, Elijah and Brie started getting closer and had casual meet ups from time to time, when she had time that was. Her life was hectic at the moment, with trying to figure out her feelings for Elijah and trying to get closer to the cure. While that was happening Jeremy killed more hunters to reveal the mark, the map to the cure.

 _*Flashback*_

 _Jeremy starts screaming. Jeremy rips off his shirt, and the mark is growing. "It's happening"_

 _Elena is shocked because she can see the mark "Oh, my god.."_

 _"You can see it?" Jeremy asks as Elena nods as they watch the mark grow up his arm and across his chest._

 _"Here we go"_

Back to present day, Shane stands on the beach, looking on at the island as the others unload from the boats on the shore. It's morning. Shane, Stefan, Damon, Jeremy, Brie, Bonnie, Rebekah, and Elena form the group.

Prof. Shane: [to himself] Congratulations. We made it.

The others continue to unload, each with varying expressions of uncertainty and curiosity on their faces as they take in their new surroundings.

Damon is sharpening a knife on the beach when Shane approaches him "Couldn't they have hidden this cure in Hawaii? Where the hell did you take us?"

"Two hundred miles off the Nova Scotia mainland. If you recall, the whole point was to hide the cure on the world's most obscure, desolate island"

"Oh yeah? I thought the whole point was that no one found Silas, the oldest, deadliest freak in the world"

"Yeah, that too" Shane holds up sunscreen and offers it to Damon "Sunscreen?"

Damon raises his eyebrow and gives him a you serious look "Is that a joke?" Brie overhears and rolls her eyes. Her phone starts bleeping. It was a message from Elijah 'Be careful out there, don't want you getting hurt' Brie smiles at her phone and then locks her phone and walks over to Stefan who is tying a knot with some rope, while Rebekah is standing there glaring at Elena as she walks past.

"Eh Stefan let me ask you a quick question" Brie says kneeling down beside him and looks up at Rebekah who's still glaring at Elena "Why is Rebekah here?"

Stefan looks up at Rebekah and then back at Brie "She handed over the headstone. I mean, she wants to find this cure more than any of us"

Brie wasn't believing him, something was going on because she hasn't been seen Stefan the past few days since he has been 'hanging out' with Rebekah "Why would you possibly think that we could trust her?"

Damon listens into the conversation and walks over to the two and crotches down next to Brie "Let me guess, she pledged her allegiance to you while you were naked in the sack?"

Brie looks gobsmacked "And that's why I haven't seen you these last few days" she says raising her eyebrow. The more she thought about it, the more she wanted to throw up.

Stefan give Damon a dirty look "I bet you were just dying to get that out, weren't you, Damon?"

"Oh, was that supposed to be a secret? Maybe you should have made that a little clear while you were bleeding me dry in our cellar"

"Okay stop it, no fighting, not today" Brie said trying to settle the two brothers. Damon glares at Stefan before walking over to Elena. Brie sighs and looks at Rebekah who is still staring at Elena. Brie stands up and moves towards her "You know giving Elena the evil eye, it's not really helping"

Rebekah still kept her attention towards Elena "She killed my brother, tried to get you to put a dagger in my back. She's lucky all she's getting is the evil eye" Rebekah says loud enough for everyone to hear.

Elena turns around and storms towards Rebekah "You know I can hear you, right?"

"You know I don't care, right?" Elena stops walking, and vamp speeds towards Rebekah, grabbing her neck and pointing the white oak stake at her chest. Rebekah flips her over and pushes her to the ground.

"Go ahead, try and kill me. But then you'd have to face your real problems. Like the fact that Stefan invited me here, himself. I guess he likes me again" Rebekah walks off, Stefan offers to help Elena up, but she ignores him and walks away looking irritated. Elena shoves the white oak stake into her bag and Brie joins her.

"Looks like someone forgot her team-building exercises" Brie jokes as Elena goes in a huff.

"I'm not apologising for not wanting her here"

Damon walks over to them and tries to stir things "You know Stefan just brought her here to make it seem like he's moving on. He wants you to think that he's over you, and he wants me to think that I can't get under his skin"

"Damon your really not helping things" Brie said, why does he always have to stick his foot in things. He always makes things worse than what they should be.

Elena shakes her head "You know, you're right. With any luck, I'll only have to tolerate her for a few more days, and then we'll find the cure and I'll never have to deal with her again"

"Human Rebekah...I can't imagine her without fangs" Damon wondered.

Shane comes up behind them "Come on, we better get going" They all begin to hike through the woods. Shane gets out his phone but it beeps like it has no service. "Satellite phone lost its signal"

"Is anyone else a little creeped out?" Elena says starting to shiver.

Rebekah rolls her eyes, she really couldn't stand Elena in general never mind a moany Elena "So then leave. Out of everyone, your presence is the least necessary"

"Please don't start" Brie yells down the line as she was in from with Shane, overhearing them all bickering.

"I'm merely stating the facts. Jeremy has the spell on his body. Bonnie is the witch that unseals the cure. Shane is the human compass. Brie I actually don't know what shes doing here, being supportive maybe" Brie rolled her eyes at Rebekah's comment, trying not to get involved as she was just getting a headache alone from all the others constant bicker "You and I have the tombstone, which does god knows what. And Elena has no point"

"What about me?" Damon asks, waiting for Rebekah's answer.

"You have a nice behind" Damon smirks.

Hours later, it's night-time. The group is still hiking through the woods using flashlights. Shane is using a headlamp "Centuries after Qetsiyah died, there were these miners who were excavating a well on the island. Suddenly went mad. They bled themselves dry. No apparent reason. So, the legend spread that these miners, in exchange for a drop of their blood, saw visions of their lost loved ones in the well they were digging. The word traveled and explorers sought out the well to see if the legend was true. You know, some people believe the voices of lost souls were just a wind vortex whipping through the caves, and visions were caused by inhaling the island's poisonous plant life"

"And what do you believe?" Brie said walking side by side with Shane.

"I believe in magic. My wife and my son died within months of each other. And so...I decided to try the well out for myself"

"Yeah, got it. Don't eat the poisonous flowers" Damon said, walking in their tracks. He continues walking and the others follow.

"Wait. Stop. Stop! Stop" Everyone stop "Is everybody paying attention?" He picks up a large rock "Our first lesson in survival" He throws the rock and it triggers a net trap that swings up into the trees. "Stay together. Keep your eyes open"

Everyone continues walking again.

In the middle of the night, Elena realises that Jeremy is not in his tent and has gone missing and has everyone up searching for him. Elena is with Stefan and Rebekah, god knows how that's working out, Bonnie was the first to leave to try and find Jeremy and Damon was with Shane. Damon is interrogating Shane in the shed "Where's the cure?"

"Does it matter? I think we both know you'd rather just torture me. Torture gives you a sense of control, especially with your relevance slipping away" Damon calmly breaks a metal rod in half "And look at you. Here you are, hours from Elena breaking her sire bond. You're starting to freak out a little bit. Listen, you want my advice? Leave. Go. Don't put yourself through this" Damon whacks Shane with the halves of the metal rod. "Agh! Fine. Okay. Let's say her feelings for you are real. How does that end? She's human. You're a vampire"

Damon strikes him across the face with the rod; Shane groans in pain. "It's doomed, Damon. See, you're not torturing me, man. You're torturing yourself by helping them find the cure"

"I could kill you. Then no one would find it"

"We've established that you can't kill me without sending Bonnie off the deep end. You can leave the island. Have a modicum of self-respect. Don't stay here and watch Elena walk away from you"

"Right. Because if I'm not here, then I can't get in between you and whatever you're planning with Silas. Well, I'm not that easily manipulated, professor. And there is one flaw in your logic" He bends down to talk in Shane's ear " I don't give a crap about Bonnie Bennett" Damon grabs Shane's head like he's about to snap it, but suddenly Brie vamp-runs in and pushes him away from Shane.

Brie appears to look angry "What is wrong with you?" Damon walks out of the shed without answering. She turns to Shane "What did you say to him?"

"Damon's a maniac, Brianna"

"Oh don't I know" rolling her eyes and then she starts tearing off the ropes binding him to the chair "Stop messing with my friends"

She leaves the shed. Shane holds up his hand, flexing it, and smiles.

Brie follows Damon outside "Shane is the only thing that's keeping Bonnie safe, and you try to kill him? And you wonder why Bonnie hates you"

"I don't wonder, Brie, because I don't care. I don't care about her. I don't care about some lame-ass cure for vampires, either"

"How can you say that right now?"

"Because I don't want Elena to be cured"

"I'm not fighting with you about this. But it would be the best for her and for you"

Damon raises his eyebrow "Want to explain it in a bit more detail, will you?"

Brie sighs and moves closer to him "Everyone can see your having second thoughts because of this whole sired thing but trust me, if she became human again will it not be better finding out her true feelings for you without the sired bond forcing her to be in love with you?" Damon turns around and starts walking away.

Brie goes back to the camp after Damon leaves her stranded herself. "Bonnie?" She called out as she started looking in the tents. There's no response; she runs out to the shed, which is likewise empty. She walks out to find Stefan, Elena and Rebekah have returned "Where is everyone?"

"What are you talking about? Where's Damon?" Elena asked as she looked about for Damon.

"Well, Bonnie's not here and Shane's stuff is all gone and Damon god knows, he just walked off"

"Im going to find him" Elena says walking off.

"Elena I don't think that's a good idea, I think we should stay together" Brie says trying to make Elena stay with the group.

Elena stops in her track, "I just cant leave him out there on his own. Im going to find him whether you come or not" she says storming off.

"Well that's, that then" Brie said shrugging and sits herself down on a log and Stefan sits next to her while Rebekah realises something.

"Oh my god" Rebekah vamp-runs over to her bags "The tombstone's gone"

Rebekah is rifling through bags inside Brie's tent, breathing heavily with a panicked look in her eyes. Brie enters behind her "What are you doing in my tent?"

Rebekah vamp speeds over to her and grabs her by the throat "Where's the tombstone? What have you done with it?"

Brie was oblivious to everything that was going on "What are you talking about?"

"Like it's not bloody obvious? All you people ever do is betray me and here you go again!"

Stefan enters tent "Let her go. She didn't take it"

Rebekah releases Brie. Rebekah and Brie stare at one another for a moment. Finally, Brie bends down and lifts up some material, and withdraws the white oak stake from under it "I didn't take it, but her" she extends the stake toward Rebekah "Consider this a peace offering"

"Don't you get it, Brie? There is no peace. We're all screwed"

"Exactly, Rebekah. We're screwed. Bonnie's gone. Shane's got the tombstone. Jeremy's missing. Who knows if Damon and Elena are coming back. So, us three, right here, this is all we've got. So we're either in this together...or it's over. For all of us" She holds out the stake to Rebekah again and she takes it.

Cut to Damon walking through the woods. Suddenly an arrow shoots through the trees and lands in Damon's arm. He groans in pain and pulls it out "You gotta be kidding me"

A man jumps him and throws him to the ground. They both get back up and go at each other. Damon manages to pin the man down, straddles his back and pulls at his head. He notices the man's hand on the ground has the hunter's mark on it "You're one of the Five!" The man gets free of Damon's choke-hold, flips him over and snaps his neck. He stands over Damon's body.

Brie, Stefan, and Rebekah are on the beach. Brie is on the phone with Caroline "Tell me you're not serious" Caroline said over the phone.

"I wish I weren't" Caroline was in the Gilbert house on the phone while Klaus remains trapped in the living room "When we got back from looking for Jeremy, Shane and Bonnie were gone too. Shane needs Bonnie to cast a spell on Jeremy's tattoo in order to find the cure, and he managed to sneak them both out from under our noses"

"Well, where's Damon in all this?"

"He just stormed off and then when Elena found out he was gone she went away to look for him so god knows where she is I thought he was just taking a walk, but then when we went to the beach, we saw signs of a struggle"

"Do you think Shane took him?"

Brie shakes her head "No, I mean, he's not strong enough to take Damon on, even with the element of surprise. He must have someone, or at least a few someones helping him"

"I'm so sorry. I wish I was there to help" Caroline says, feeling helpless in this situation.

"Well, maybe there's something you can do from home. So Shane's looking for the cure. We think we can find him. We have pictures of Jeremy's tattoo, but we just can't translate the map"

"Unless you get the Hunter's Sword from Klaus"

Rebekah shakes her head "He will never give up the sword, he's terrified we'll use the cure against him to make him mortal, and even if he wasn't, he wouldn't want any of us to derive a moment's worth of happiness from being human"

Stefan has an idea "Well, maybe he doesn't have to give it up. I mean, Klaus is stuck in Elena's house by Bonnie's spell. He can't go anywhere. There's only so many places you can hide a three-foot piece of metal"

"lI'll find it, don't worry. Just e-mail me photos of Jeremy's tattoo. I'll find the sword, and I'll call you back"

"Thank you, Caroline" she hangs up.

Caroline and Tyler walk into the house. Caroline has a laptop in her hands while Tyler has the sword wrapped in a blanket. Klaus is sitting on the coffee table. "Well, if it isn't little orphan Lockwood. Come to show how laughably impotent you are against me?"

"I'm just trying to help my friends find the cure" Caroline sits on the couch, and Tyler reveals the sword from the blanket "Found this in your attic."

"And you think finding the sword brings you closer to the cure?"

"You tell me. I was playing around with the handle on the ride over, and I found this" Tyler unwraps the leather on the top of the sword, revealing some sort of turning device. Klaus gets up and walks over to Tyler.

Klaus: And what do you think 'this' is?

Caroline gets up "It's called a cryptex" Tyler looks at her. "I've seen The da Vinci Code. You turn the different sides to the different symbols to get the translation on the other side" turning to the table "And with the magic of the internet, Brie sent over these" She holds up print-outs of Jeremy's tattoo "So now all we have to do is cryptex away" She sits down again "If you happened to want to help, we wouldn't stop you"

"Right. Well, might I suggest using the magic of the internet to purchase an Aramaic-to-English dictionary from your nearest retailer" Klaus smirks.

Tyler turns to Caroline "What's Aramaic?"

"It's a dead language. It hasn't been used since, like, biblical times"

" Qetsiyah's native tongue, I'm guessing. You know, even if you had the best dictionary in the world, it could take days to translate" Klaus sits down "Perhaps weeks. "In bas so-teen-too ara-ma-eet."

"What does that mean?"

Klaus starts grinning"If only you spoke Aramaic."

On the beach, Rebekah is raising her cellphone in the air but gets only a busy signal and gives up. Brie and Stefan are sitting and talking "And once again, everyone's life is in danger looking for this cure because poor Elena can't deal with being a vampire. Stefan, why didn't you tell me that you wanted the cure for yourself?"

"I mean, why wouldn't I want to take it? I've seen every side of vampirism there is. The power...the misery, the guilt. In the long run, even the good parts kind of suck, too"

Caroline has the pictures of Jeremy's tattoo and index cards of the Aramaic symbols lying on the table. She has her computer open and is sitting with Tyler "Okay, this is it. We've translated all the symbols on the tattoo" she reads the translation "Passage inside...requires a young senator, and a pretty flower." She becomes irritated "Okay, none of this makes sense!"

Klaus starts speaks Aramaic, then the English translation "Requires a powerful witch and a hunter in full bloom."

"What are you doing?" Tyler questions.

"I don't need to tell you my reasons. Caroline. Bring my sword over here"Caroline has brought the sword close enough for Klaus to read the cryptex. "Silas rests on the far side, the means of his destruction at hand." He glances at the pictures of Jeremy's tattoo on the computer screen "Turn the cryptex to the right" Caroline obliges "Stop. The top of the hilt reveals a key to a nautical map. "Turn it to the left" she turns it "Now turn the other piece" she does "There's something else"

"What does it mean?" Klaus smiles at her "Klaus, what does it mean?"

In the cave, Bonnie is lowering herself down into the lower chamber of the cave in a harness attached to a rope. Suddenly she loses her grip and falls the rest of the way down, landing painfully on her hand. Jeremy, already down, rushes over to her. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I just slipped" She lifts her hand and groans; her glove is torn and bloody. Jeremy rips off a strip of his T-shirt and helps Bonnie pull off her glove. Her hand is bleeding profusely. He uses the fabric to make a quick tourniquet for her hand. "Thanks" She chuckles as Jeremy helps her up; she unhooks the rope for her harness.

Prof. Shane: [from above the hole's opening] Hey, guys, I'm coming down.

"Hey, Bon. What do you think's gonna happen once you cast a spell on my tattoo and there's nothing in between Shane and Silas?"

Bonnie: Do you trust me?

Jeremy: Yeah, of course.

"Then trust me when I promise I won't let Shane raise Silas"

Jeremy looks up briefly as they hear noises from above, lowers his voice even further "Just don't do anything stupid. If your Expression gets out of hand, Shane is the only one that could help you keep it in control"

"Don't worry about me. I'm fine. But if Shane tries to lift a finger on his hand to hurt either one of us...I'll kill him myself" They prepare to keep moving. The camera zooms in on the spot where Bonnie landed, where her blood has soaked the floor of the cave. It seeps through a crack in the floor, dripping down to a chamber below, into the mouth of a figure that resembles a sarcophogus.

Rebekah is still on the beach when her phone rings. "Hello?"

"Hey, it's Caroline. We have the translation of the tattoo. We're emailing you pictures of the map and instructions right now"

Rebekah checks her phone and receives the email

"Got it. Thanks"

In the cave, Shane joins Bonnie and Jeremy in the new chamber, all of them holding flashlights "It's just amazing, isn't it? Once we raise Silas, all of our sacrifices will have been worthwhile; we'll all have what we want"

"Or he'll kill us all!"

"Listen, you're going to see I'm right. Just so you don't get any ideas, remember, anything happens to me, something a lot worse will happen to you"

"All right, where is this stupid magic passage she needs to open?"

"Just look for anything that looks out of place, all right? Anything not occurring in nature like a - like a drawing or an inscription or a...geometrically perfect circle!" Shane crouches to the ground and brushes away dirt and debris to reveal a circle carved into the ground. Shane slaps the ground "This is it! This is the spot" Jeremy and Bonnie share a look.

Meanwhile Rebekah, Brie, and Stefan are walking across the island "What did Caroline say?"

Rebekah lies "I don't know. We lost the signal. Come on, this way" They come to the edge of a cliff and stop. Rebekah holds her phone up "We need to get down and across. Advantage, vampires: all we have to do is jump"

Brie starts having second thought, she forgot she had a fear of heights "Wait, wait. Um...maybe you should leave the map behind. In case you fall, you don't want anything to happen to the phone"

"Are we doing this again? I thought we were a team?"

"Guys, we don't have time for this. Brie. you go first. We'll be right behind you"Brie hesitates before she takes a running leap off the edge. After falling a huge distance, she lands on her feet, stumbling only slightly. She looks back up the cliff. Stefan is about to jump when Rebekah throws out her arm and stops him.

"There's something you should know about the cure"

In the cave, Bonnie looks at Jeremy before closing her eyes again. Rocks begin to rain down around them as the ground shakes. Shane runs off, ducking for cover.

At the base of the cliff, Brie is still waiting for Stefan and Rebekah to jump down.

Stefan: So you're sure that there's only one dose of the cure?" Rebekah gently nods "Well, I guess that's what happens when you're dumb enough to hold out hope"

"There's still hope for one of us. But even if I felt pity for you, if I wanted to ease your pain so I gave you the cure to take for yourself, you'd give it to Elena, wouldn't you?"

Stefan doesn't reply, tacitly revealing his answer "That's what I thought. Well, I'm sorry that it couldn't work out the way that we all wanted it to" Stefan looks confused, and Rebekah snaps his neck and his body falls to the ground. Brie watches in horror from the bottom of the cliff.

In the cave, Jeremy gets up as dust and debris continue to fall "Bonnie! Bonnie!"

Bonnie appears from behind a roc "I'm fine" she smiles "I'm here. Look! It worked!"

They look over to see that a new passage has been revealed. "We did it"

Jeremy puts on his shirt and they move to continue on when Shane grunts in pain. "Hey, guys, I need a hand. My leg's broken" Shane says breathlessly.

"Best to stay off it, then"

"Bonnie. Wait, wait. Don't- Come on. Bonnie! Help me! Come on, please! Help me!"Jeremy and Bonnie ignore his pleas as they head into the tunnel.

Outside, Brie has rejoined Stefan at the top of the cliff. He's lying down drinking a blood bag while Brie sits next to him "There's only one cure?" Stefan nods "You still wanting it for Elena?" Stefan nods again "What about you? What about what you want? Stefan you need to put yourself first for a change, your always putting Elena before you"

"I do need to let go don't i?" Stefan says looking at Brie as she nods her head. He tucks a piece of hair behind her ear and caresses her check. She leans her check on his hand as she looks in his eyes "Even though Ive been too busy concentrating on Elena, I do still mean what i said a while back. I do still really like you"

Brie smiles "one women at a time Stefan" Brie giggles as Stefan laughs along with her.

"Yeah I guess I need to get rid of all my feelings for Elena first before I pursue you" Brie blushes at his comment but suddenly started feeling guilty as she had been spending a lot of time with Elijah recently and they both have taking a liking to each other. Brie sighs. "Whats wrong?"

Brie shakes her head "It's nothing"

"You sure?"

"Positive" Brie smiles a little.


	7. Chapter 7

Vaughn has Damon tied up to a tree with ropes soaked in vervain around his neck, waist, and feet. Vaughn crouches over a campfire while Damon struggles against his bonds, groaning in pain "Something botherin' you?"

"Would you believe me if I said mosquitoes?"

"Aye, I would. How does it feel when a relentless eating machine is draining the blood from your veins?"

Damon: Itchy.

Vaughn: Your friends from Mystic Falls think you're funny, Damon?

Damon: You obviously know who I am and where I'm from. Have you been spying on me?

"Aye, I have" he gets up "You and Stefan, Elena, Brianna, your witch, Bonnie. Do you need her to cast the spell written on your pal, Jeremy's hunter's mark" sits down again "the tattoo that looks exactly like this?" Damon looks at Vaughn's tattoo.

"You wanna know something, just ask"

"I've been killing vampires my entire life. Still, this thing refused to reveal itself to me. That was, until three days ago and it just magically completed for no apparent reason"

"Come on, man. Do I look like I know anything about tattoos? Look at my skin. It's flawless"

"Ah! You're not taking me seriously" he walks over to Damon "I don't blame ya. You don't know me" He holds up a pointy wooden stick that he's been holding over the fire "So let me introduce myself" he stabs Damon's neck with it "My name is Galen Vaughn, and you'd better start talking"

Damon is still bound by the vervained ropes, leaving him no choice but to walk with Vaughn through the forest "Mind telling me where we're going?"

" At the wishing well lies an entrance to a crypt. In the crypt lies Silas. And with Silas lies the cure, which will allow me to kill Silas, bring the mission of the brotherhood of the Five to an end. You're my leverage, Damon; I use you to get your witch friend to open the passage to Silas' crypt for me.

Damon: What a minute, you're using me to get to Bonnie Bennett? Whoa, brother, ha! You picked the wrong vampire. Here's the deal, Shrek. My witch friend will open the passage for you. No leverage necessary. We don't care about Silas. All we want is the cure, so you cut us in on your share, and we'll get out of your hair"

"You really don't understand, do you?"

Damon, still tied up, staggers into the cave with Vaughn behind him. They see the ropes that Shane, Bonnie and Jeremy had used to go down into the lower chamber "Well, here we are. Looks like someone beat us to the punch"

"That's a shame, Damon. I have no use for you anymore. Hate to kill ya"

"Ditto. You know, that pesky hunter's curse and all" Vaughn nods "All right. How do you want to do this?"

"I'll make it quick and painless" He pulls on the rope tied to Damon's neck. Damon resists and grabs onto the rope; the vervain in it sears his skin.

"Wish I could make the same promise" Vaughn cuts the rope at his end and flings it toward Damon. Damon pulls the rope off his neck, groaning in pain, and pulls off the ones tied to his wrists. Vaughn aims a gun at him "I'm gonna kill you. And then I'm gonna get to that damn cure, and I'm gonna give it to the girl that I love"

"Your attachment to your friends will be the end of you" They hear footsteps from the cave entrance.

Damon starts smiling You don't know my friends" Rebekah appears "Or my enemies"

Damon and Rebekah stand on one side of the cave, Vaughn on the other training his gun on them "Are we gonna dance or are we gonna play?"

"You know he can't hurt me, Damon, unless he's got the white oak stake"

"Oh, he doesn't, but he's got other toys" Vaughn shoots Rebekah 3 times. She vamp-speeds at him and grabs his throat, but Vaughn sticks something into her chest: it's a grenade with wooden spikes protruding from it. Rebekah looks down at it, Vaughn holds up the fuse that he's pulled out, and the grenade detonates, sending the wooden spikes into her body, all the way through to her back. She falls down, neutralized. Damon vamp-speeds at Vaughn, engaging him in hand-to-hand combat. Vaughn withdraws another weapon and fires it at Damon; this time it throws a lasso-like device covered in vervain, which secures Damon by the neck to a pole behind him. He groans and makes choking noises.

"Damon!" They hear Stefan's voice in the distance. Vaughn grabs onto a rope going down the shaft, slides down it quickly and disappears. Brie and Stefan enter the chamber just in time to hear Vaughn reach the bottom. Stefan tries to get the rope off of Damon's neck while Damon groans in pain, but the vervain burns Stefan's fingers as well, making it difficult.

" You're wasting time. Just get the cure. Go"

"We're not gonna leave you" Brie says trying another way to get the ropes off Damon.

"No, we aren't" Stefan turns to Brie "You need to go ahead. We'll be right behind you" Brie starts to hesitate "Go" Brie looks at both of them for a moment longer before she jumps down into the shaft.

Meanwhile in the lower cave, Brie is running through a passage, looking around for any sign of Jeremy or Bonnie. Suddenly she hears a rock fall in the distance and she looks around wildly. "Stefan?" Her voice echoes. She hears another rock thud to the ground "Hello?

"Brie" she hears and looks around the cave but cant see anyone. She hears the whoosh sound of a vampire speed-running. She walks a few steps, then turns around and sees whoever said her name.

"No!" Brie says growling. The person attacks her and she falls to the ground.

In the cave, Stefan finds Shane still lying on the ground "Hey, I don't suppose you'd want to share a little of that vampire blood" Shane says in the stop, Jeremy and Bonnie left him in.

Stefan looks about the cave "Where are Jeremy and Bonnie?"

"I have no idea"

Stefan grabs Shane by the collar "Stop lying!"

Shane starts gasping "I'm not lying...But if you help me, I will take you the rest of the way, I promise"

Stefan pushes Shane against the rock he's leaning up against "Did you know this whole time that there was only one cure?"

Shane become weak "What? No. How could I? I've never seen it" Stefan lets go of him and backs off" Look, everything I ever said and did was just to bring back my family, I swear"

Stefan nods "Well, then you know what it's like to have hope, and now you know what it feels like to lose it" He gets up and walks away.

Meanwhile, in the lower cavern, Bonnie and Jeremy approach a side chamber containing Silas's tomb. It is shaped like a human figure lying on a table, covered in vine-like decoration. Its hands are holding a small box on its chest.

Jeremy notices the box "Is this it? This is the cure? How is that supposed to cure every vampire in the world?" Jeremy starts trying to wrest the box out of the figure's hands "It's stuck. Help me move it"

She joins him and they both pull as hard as they can " It's, like, fossilised in place. It's like trying to bend stone" They give up. Bonnie realises something. "Oh, my god"

"What?" Bonnie backs away, looking at the entombed figure "What, Bonnie?"

"He's been frozen like a vampire statue for 2000 years. There's only one way we're gonna get the statue to unfreeze"

"How's that?" Jeremy asks.

"We have to feed him our blood" Jeremy turns around to look at her "If we want to get the cure out of his hands, we have to wake him up"

Stefan is walking through the passage, flashlight aloft. He finds a wall glistening with blood, then sees Brie sitting against a wall, her head bloodied up. Stefan runs up to her and kneels down next to her "Brie. What happened?"

"She's here!" Brie starts whimpering.

"Who?"

At Silas' tomb, Katherine, who Jeremy thinks is Elena, gazes at Silas's tomb before turning round to look at Jeremy, crouching over Bonnie.

"Elena's here now, okay? Everything's gonna be all right"

"We did it" Bonnie says weakly.

"Come on. We gotta get you up" Katherine says helping Jeremy up.

"You have to help Bonnie. The hunter stabbed her. You have to feed her"

"Okay. I just need to make sure that you're okay first"

"I'm fine. What are you doing?"

Katherine starts gesturing at the tomb behind he "The cure. Jeremy, after everything we've been through, it's right there"

" It'll be there after we help Bonnie" He crouches down to Bonnie again.

Katherine stars rolling her eyes and sighs "God, I forgot what a brat you were"

Jeremy looked back up at her "What"

"I'm done playing nice" She grabs Jeremy and vamp-speeds him over to the tomb, slices open his wrist and holds it over the stone figure's mouth.

Jeremy realises who it was "Katherine"

lIt's been too long, little Gilbert" Silas' body starts to move "Sorry. Family reunion is gonna have to be cut short"

She pulls him up again and sinks her fangs into his neck, then forces a screaming Jeremy down again, his bleeding neck over Silas' mouth. Silas' arm swings up and holds Jeremy in place. Katherine sees the box containing the cure, freed from Silas' grasp, and takes it, vamp-running out of the chamber. Silas grabs Jeremy's throat, strangling him before snapping his neck. Jeremy falls to the floor, his eyes open but lifeless. Bonnie lies nearby, unable to move.

Elena is in the woods still trying to find Damon. She comes across the cave. "Damon?" Her voice echos in the cave. "Are you here?" All she hears is her voice echoing through out the cave. She walks into the cave in searching of Damon or anyone in the matter. Elena finds Jeremy's body in the cave. She holds him in her arms, talking frantically and crying "Jeremy! Oh, no. No. No. Oh, god, no. Oh god" She checks his hand; the Gilbert ring is still on his finger" It's fine. It's fine. It's fine. You're gonna be okay. The ring will bring you back. It's okay. It's okay. You're gonna be okay. You're gonna be okay, Jeremy. You're gonna be fine" Brie walks in and looks on in shock.

"How'd this happen?" Damon says in shock.

"It was Katherine. She must have been following us this whole time" Brie sighs and starts getting frustrated as they were so close to finding the cure.

"What about the cure, or Silas?" Damon questions, raising his eyebrow.

Brie shrugs her shoulders " If there was anything in there at all, it's all gone"

"Where the hell is Bonnie?" Damon said, sounding like he started caring for the witch.

"I have no idea. She went looking for Jeremy last night. She never came back. Damon, Elena is in there waiting for the Gilbert ring to bring Jeremy back to life"

"Okay, fine. I'll wait with her" Damon starts walking toward the well opening but Brie puts up a hand to stop him.

"Damon, listen to me. Jeremy was one of the Five, a hunter"

"He's supernatural. The ring won't work anymore" He pauses for a second "She won't survive this. I'll find Bonnie. You get Elena off this island"

Back at the Gilbert Residence, Caroline is scrubbing the floor when the door opens and Elena and Brie walk in, Stefan behind her carrying Jeremy's body.

Caroline: stands up "Hey, you're home. I was trying to clean the burn mark where Kol" She sees Stefan carrying Jeremy, his body wrapped in a blanket "I couldn't get the spot out"

Brie shakes his head a little at Caroline.

"Come on. Let's get him upstairs" Stefan follows Elena while Caroline stands immobile, shocked. Upstairs, Stefan lays Jeremy on his bed. Elena sits down beside him and holds his hand.

Brie walks into the room "Can I get you anything?" She says watching Elena stroke Jeremy's cheek.

Elena shakes her head, still looking at Jeremy's lifeless body on the bed "No. I'm fine. I'm just gonna sit here and wait with him until he wakes up. Let me know if you hear anything about Bonnie, okay?"

Brie nods her head "Yeah, sure" Elena spreads a blanket over Jeremy and resumes holding his hands on top of his chest. Stefan and Brie leave the room.

Over an hour later, Elena is still sitting with Jeremy, smoothing her hand over his face and holding his hands. Downstairs in the kitchen, Caroline is dumping a bucket of water into the sink and talking to Brie. "How long has she been like that?"

"Ever since we found his body. She hasn't said anything except that she's waiting for him to wake up"

"But he's not going to wake up. She knows that, right?" Brie holds a finger up to her lips to silence her. She walks over to the sink and runs the tap, using the noise to cover their conversation.

"Look. Deep down, I think she has to, but we're talking about Elena here. She feels grief more powerfully than anyone else. I think her denial is the one thing protecting her from letting it all in"

"But she can't stay like that forever"

" I know, but I don't want to be the one to break her out of it, not until we know that Bonnie is safe, not until we get Damon over here to, you know"

"Use the sire bond to convince her that everything is okay?"

Brie nods but then Elena joins them in the kitchen "I'm not in denial" Brie turns off the tap "I know that he was supernatural, but did you see? His tattoo is gone. The tattoo had the spell that opened Silas' chamber. Maybe it being gone means that he's fulfilled his supernatural destiny. Maybe he's back to normal. It's possible, right?"

"Elena—" Brie starts but gets interrupted by Elena.

"It's possible, Brie. There's a chance. It may be minuscule, but it's hope and I'm gonna hold on to that hope with everything that I've got because there's no way that my" she pauses "There's absolutely no way that my brother is dead" she nods and shakes her head a bit "I'm not in denial"

She turns and leaves the kitchen. Caroline and Brie share a look "I just can't believe after all that, the cure is just gone"

"Yeah. I mean, talk about denial. In my head, I was thinking there was no way Elena was gonna stay a vampire forever...And now without any family"

" Well, we can't think about that right now. We need to make plans, lists. We need a funeral or a cover story, or a funeral and a cover story. I should go tell my mom. I guess she'll know what to do"

"We should get Matt over here" Brie suggests.

Caroline nods her head "You're right. I will do that. I will call Matt, and then I will go tell my mom, and then I will make a list or a casserole or don't know whatever people are supposed to do or make in these situations" she pauses "What's that smell?"

Brie looks inside through the open front door. Caroline looks like she already knows the answer "It's his body. He's starting to decompose. Tell your mom to get Dr. Fell over here"

Meredith pulls the blanket over Jeremy's face and leaves the room. Brie is on the staircase landing, adjusting pictures on a shelf on the wall, while Meredith adjusts the thermostat " I'm bumping the A/C. We're not gonna be able to leave him in there for much longer"

"Yeah, I know" She starts walking up the stairs and sitting down on the top step "You'd think with the amount of people that I've seen die, it would hurt less each time. Never does"

"No. No, it never doe" she sits beside Brie. " I see this every day. Sometimes I think that denial is the worst part for people like us, because we know the truth. We can see they're on a collision course with it, and all we can do is brace ourselves for impact"

Brie nods, then his phone rings. She takes her phone out her back pocket and see's that Damon is calling her. "Did you find her?" She answers.

"I'm still looking. How is she?"

"She's losing it, Damon. We can do what we can to delay things here, but we've got to get Jeremy to the morgue before it gets ugly"

"Damn it. I can't just leave her behind. I can't show up without Bonnie"

"I think you have to. At this point, the sire bond is probably the only thing that's gonna keep Elena together. I can go back to find Bonnie"

Damon nods on the end of the phone " I'm on my way. He hangs up. Damon turns around as he hears footsteps. Bonnie emerges from behind a treeI could actually hug you right now" They embrace "Where have you been? How'd you find me?"

Bonnie pulls away "Shane led the way. He told me what to do, Damon. I know how to bring Jeremy back"

It's night-time. Caroline is in her car, talking on her phone. As she's talking she gets out and walks round to stand in front of the Gilbert house "Tyler, it's me again. So I was thinking about it, and you probably ditched your phone, which is the smartest thing that you could do. So I don't know when you're gonna get this, but things were looking kind of bleak for a minute, and- I don't know- maybe they're starting to turn around. So when you get this, call me back, and I'll tell you everything"

She hangs up as Damon's car pulls up and Bonnie gets out of the passenger side "Thank god. We were so, so worried" They hug.

"I'm okay" Bonnie says hugging Caroline tightly.

Damon: Could you get Stefan out here?

"They said that she knows what to do"

"Caroline, I need to talk to my brother" Damon says sounding serious, not hopeful like the others.

"What's wrong?" Damon's eyes move slightly to gesture at Bonnie.

Bonnie, Elena, Caroline and Matt are sitting at the kitchen table. Outside the house, Damon, Brie and Stefan are talking.

"She's out of her mind. The nutty professor's got her totally brainwashed. I mean, the whole flight back home, all she could talk about was how she's the one that can drop the veil between this side and the Other Side"

"Drop the veil? What does that even mean?" Brie asked as she tried to think about what Bonnie was talking about.

"What it means is, the myth about Silas being able to raise the dead is not just one, or some. It's every supernatural being over there"

Brie eyes widened "Which means every supernatural being over there is gonna back with a vengeance" Damon nods, as she was starting to understand.

Inside the house, Bonnie was telling the gang what the plan was and Caroline thought she was going mad "Bonnie, you are talking like a crazy person. You are not killing 12 people, and you sure as hell can't invite every monster who has ever died back into this world"

"Caroline, I think she knows that" Elena stares straight ahead as the others continue to argue.

"I can do it. I have the power. We can bring everyone back; Jeremy, Alaric, Vicki" Bonnie said trying to convince them.

"Bonnie, stop it. You can't just say these things"

The phone rings, breaking Elena out of her reverie and ending the conversation "I'll get it" She gets up and answers the phone as Damon, Brie and Stefan come back inside. "Hello?"

"Elena? It's April Young. Um, I was looking for Jeremy, his cell phone keeps going straight to voicemail"

"Jeremy can't come to the phone right now. He's not" she pauses "I'm sorry. He's dead" She hangs up and walks out of the room, while the others look at each other. Upstairs, Elena slowly enters Jeremy's room, where his body lies under a blanket. She approaches the bed, and reaches to lift the blanket from over his face with a trembling hand. Upon seeing his face, she backs away, breathing heavily.

Brie was standing at the door "Elena..." she began

Elena spun round to look at her, tears streaming down her face "He's dead. He's dead. Brie, he's dead, and he's been dead this entire time, and I" her hand flies to her face over her mouth "Oh, my god" turning to look at Jeremy "I can smell him" she turns round to Brie "How long has he smelled like that?"

Brie walks closer to her " Hey, talk to me. I can help you"

"How? How are you gonna help me? How?" She sniffles and wipes her hand over her face. "Okay. Okay. We have to take care of his body. Bring him downstairs"

Brie shakes her head "We shouldn't"

"Just carry him down, please" She leaves the room, leaving Damon looking reluctant. She hurries down the stairs. "Where's Bonnie?"

Stefan turns around "We told Matt to take her home. We thought it'd be best"

Elena nods her head "Okay. I guess we're gonna have to do this the old-fashioned way"

"Do what?" Caroline asks.

Brie comes downstairs with Jeremy's body. Elena turns to Damon, "Put his body on the couch" She goes into the kitchen and starts opening and closing cabinets.

"Elena? Elena, you need help finding something?" Caroline says walking into the kitchen, walking her frantically searching for something.

Elena takes a bottle of lighter fluid out of a cabinet and squirting it over the counter "Got it" Caroline stands in astonishment.

"What are you doing?" Brie asks as she watches Elena pouring liquid around the room.

Elena continues to squirt the fluid everywhere "We need a cover story, right? You think I didn't hear you guys talking earlier? Well, what are we gonna say animal attack, tumbled down the stairs? No. We burn the house down with him inside of it" She's made it to the living room and squirts the couch.

"Elena, stop it" Stefan says, raising his voice.

"Why? Because you want me to not be in denial? You want me to face the truth? This is the truth, Stefan. I don't want to live here anymore. I don't want these sketches" She sprays them with lighter fluid and kicks something "I don't want this Xbox" she throws down the empty bottle and reaches into a cabinet "Not gonna need this bourbon anymore. Alaric's not here to drink it, I mean, unless you guys are willing to bring back every supernatural creature on the Other Side to get him back" Elena turns to Damon "Would you? I know you want your drinking buddy back" she starts walking toward him "Would you, Damon? Because I wouldn't" she walks over to Jeremy's body and splashes bourbon over him "I don't know, I mean, does that make me a bad person? I have no idea" she pulls the Gilbert ring off of Jeremy's finger and tosses it to Damon "He's not gonna need that anymore"

Elena, stop it. You're scaring me!" Caroline screams.

Elena starts taking down a picture frame from the fireplace mantle "What else are we supposed to do with the body, Caroline? I mean, there's room in the Gilbert family plot" throws the frame down on the floor and the glass cracks "Jenna and John took the last spots" She throws the empty bottle of bourbon against the wall and it shatters, then grabs a match from the mantle and lights it.

"No, no, Elena. Stop"

Elena starts shouting " There's nothing here for me anymore, Stefan. Every inch of this house is filled with memories of the people that I love that have died- my mom, my dad, Jeremy, and Jenna and Alaric, John, even John. I mean, they're all dead. Everyone is dead. So what am I supposed to doI mean, how am I gonna, I can't even. There's nothing left for me- aah!"

The flame had burned down on the match and started to burn Elena's hand. She drops the match but Brie vamp-speeds over to catch it before it can ignite on the lighter fluid everywhere. Elena sobs and starts to crumble.

Damon walks toward Elena "Elena, I need you to calm down"

"No, no, no, I can't. I can't. I can't" She falls to her knees, immeasurable pain and grief distorting her face. She grabs at her head. "No. It hurts. It hurts. Just make it stop. Please make it stop. It hurts" She continues sobbing loudly.

"Damon...Help her" Brie says looking distraught as she walks Elena have a breakdown.

Damon crouches down next to her and pulls her to him. "I can help you. I want you to let me help you" Elena shudders as Damon touches her face. She sits up, pulling away as Damon gently caresses her cheeks and smooths her hair back "I can help you"

Elena looks up at him as tears roll down her face "How?"

"Turn it off." Damon simply said, Brie and Stefan looked at each other shocked.

"What? No, no"

Damon holds up a hand to stop him from intervening "Just turn it off, and everything will go away. That's what you have to do. It's what I want you to do. Just turn it off" They watch as Elena's tear-stained face turns utterly expressionless and still. The light leaves her eyes, as though something inside her has died.

Elena picks up a broken picture frame, looks at it expressionlessly, and a piece of the glass falls to the floor. Out on the porch, Brie and Damon are talking "It was a mistake"

"It wasn't, and you know it. This is the only way she's gonna survive. We'll help her, keep an eye on her. When she's ready, I'll use the sire bond to bring her back"

"Her humanity, Damon, that was all she had left" Brie said becoming anger with Damon.

"Humanity means nothing when you don't have anyone to care about, Brianna"

"She had you" she simply stated.

"She lost her brother. I'm not enough, not this time"

Inside, Elena puts down the frame. Still expressionless, she crosses the living room to grab and light another match as Damon and Brie come back inside.

"Elena, don't do this. We can find another cover story"

Elena starts shaking her head "This is the best one. No one'll ask questions"

"Look, if you burn down the house, it'll be gone. What if one day when this is all over, you want to come home again?" Brie said trying to convince her to not burn the house down.

Elena watches the flame, then looks up at Brie "I won't" She tips the match out of her fingers and the floor immediately ignites. The three casually walk out of the house together, Elena leading. She and Damon turn to their left and continue down the street while Brie pauses and looks back at the house before following after them. Inside, Jeremy's body is engulfed in flames, along with his sketching, Elena's converse sneakers, and her journal.


	8. Chapter 8

After Elena burning her house down, Brie goes to the Mikaelson's house to talk to Klaus, even though she rather speak to Klaus but she needed to do this. She drives up to the house and switches the car off. She sighs before getting out the car. She knocks on the door and waits for someone to answer. Klaus opens the door. Brie is standing outside and grimaces at him and she walks in the house without an invitation. "Ah, what an unpleasant surprise"

Brie strides into the parlour, a piece of paper in her hand "So I just came up with a list"

Klaus shuts the door and follows Brie into the room. "It's called "Things You Suck At" She stops and turns to face Klaus. "Number one: Finding Katherine. Ever. Number two: covering up your secret phone conversations with that little backstabber Hayley" She the phone transcripts a bit and puts them down on the end table "Yeah, so, where is she? What does she know about Katherine?"

" I should help you?"

Brie starts nodding "Mhm"

"After you lot killed my brother and imprisoned me in the Gilbert living room?"

Brie walks closer to Klaus "You might want to prioritise, Klaus. You have much bigger problems"

Klaus looks at her blankly.]

"Katherine has the cure" Klaus looks displeased by this news "My guess is she's gonna want to cram it down your throat. You help me find Katherine, I'll get the cure, I'll give it to Elena, everybody wins. Just let me question Hayley about Katherine"

Klaus smiles and walks towards Brie "Can't help you, love. Hayley's off limits" He walks past Brie and sits down on the sofa. "Although, I did have a run in with a vampire who may know where Katerina is" Brie turns around and looks at him "Too bad for you, I bit halfway through his bloody neck. He probably won't have much time for chit-chat"

Brie glared at him and rolled her eyes, she knew he wasn't going to give her any idea to where Hayley was laying low about. Lucky for her her protecting her or she would be dead right about now. Brie started walking towards the door. She tried to open the door but Klaus vamp speeded in-front of her with a smirk on his face. "Did I say you could go love"

"Nope, but I don't need your permission as to when I can leave" Brie said trying to push passed him. But he was still blocking her way.

"Cmon love, the fun is only just started" he smiled as he stroked her cheek. She moves away from his reach.

"Don't you dare touch me" Brie said getting angry with the Original Hybrid. She lifted her hand to slap him but got interrupted by a voice on the staircase"

"Brianna" she turned around and saw Elijah slowly striding down the stairway.

"Elijah, I was just leaving" she said glaring back at Klaus who was still smiling.

"Please don't leave on my account" He walks closer to her "Care to join my in the sitting room away from my brother's company" he said moving slightly to the left so she could pass. She nodded and walks towards the sitting room. Elijah looked at his brother with an unamused look and followed Brie. He closed the door to block out his brothers prying eyes.

"So what brings you out this late at night" Elijah says as gestures her to sit down.

"Its been a very long night, really don't want to get into it right now but I need to find out whee Hayley is at"

Elijah raises an eyebrow "And why would you want to know where the young wolf if?"

"Maybe because she's in coo-hoots with your ex misses. Katherine as I have heard you had a past with her" Brie crossed her legs "So has everyone by the sound of things" she mumbled so Elijah couldn't hear but he did and gestured a chuckle to tell her he did hear her comment.

"Katerina is back in town?"

"You didn't know?" She asked as Elijah blankly looked at her "Guess not. Well she is and she has the cure"

"How does she know about the cure and how did she find it?"

"Good question, the question that everyone wants answered. But we think she followed us on the island. But then again Hayley knew about the cure through Tyler so got an idea of who could of told her"

"Why are you in such need of this cure anyways?

"We needed it for Elena so we could all get the answer we needed to know. Stefan or Damon. Cause of the sired bond everyone thinks Elena is only in love with Damon because of it but obviously shes has been persistent and wants to take the cure to prove everyone wrong that she is in love with Damon not because of the sire bond" Elijah continues to listen "But when Katherine found the cure, she killed Jeremy on the way of getting the cure and now Elena has her emotions turned off and shes gone insane so we are in desperate need of the cure, more than ever"

Elijah nodded in understandment "Even though shes motionless, you need to keep her right. She wont listen at first but you need to keep being persistent it will get through to her eventually. You cant give up on her, until you find the cure you need to keep pushing her to the right way of things and keep her away of the bad things"

Brie looks at him "I would never give up on her. No one would. She my best friend Elijah. I will find Katherine and take the cure back, even if it kills me"

Elijah looked at her in amazement, he couldn't believe she would do anything in her power to find the cure for someone who isn't herself. He admired that about her "I trust that you wouldn't give up on Miss Gilbert but if you died I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I wasn't the one who couldn't save you"

It's morning. Elena is showering in Damon's bathroom. Damon and Stefan are in his bedroom having a conversation. Elena turns her head so she can hear the two of them better.

"So that's the plan? You're gonna take her back to school?"

"Look, do you think I want to go to school and play chaperone? You can't go because you're not a student. Besides, you've got to go look for Katherine. I mean, Elena needs this cure now more than ever"

Brie enters the room in a bath robe. The Salvatore brothers turn to face her "Not that anyone asked me, but I think taking her back to school is a great idea"

"Why are you here?" Damon says raising his eyes and looks at her up and down and wonders why shes in a bath robe.

"Uh, blame it on your fancy water filters. Your house has the only vervain-free showers in town"

"Oh, yeah. The mayor put vervain in the water supply" He clicks his tongue "So many people to kill"

"Yeah, Caroline's mom says it's about to get worse, so she could use a little help"

Stefan looks back at Damon.

"Fine, I'll go after the psychotic doppelgänger. Stefan, you wanna go talk to the Sheriff?"

Stefan nods.

Damon looks back at Brie "You take her to school" Brie smiles.

"Sounds like fun" Elena has emerged from her shower, completely naked. Stefan and Damon openly stare at her body, while Brie averts her eyes, smiling awkwardly. "What? It's nothing you guys haven't seen before" Elena wraps a towel around her body, covering herself up. Stefan and Damon share a look with similar nonplussed expressions. "And as for the, uh, "going to school" idea. I've got nothing better to do"

Stefan clears his throat and looks over at Damon, motioning toward Elena with his head. Damon walks towards Elena. "Elena, it would make me very happy if you went to school today. And studied hard you know, get involved in whatever activities, and please, for me, no matter what, don't eat anyone. Okay?" Elena nods understandingly.

Students are milling about the school grounds. Inside, Elena approaches a bulletin board and pulls off a flyer advertising a memorial for Jeremy. Without any noticeable reaction, she moves on to another flyer, this one advertising the Mystic Falls Cheerleading Invitational. Elsewhere in a hallway, Caroline is talking on the phone. "Hey, Tyler. It's me checking in. Things are just getting back to normal here, sort of. Elena's not quite there, but we're working on it" She sees Elena across the hall, crumpling up a flyer "Look, I know that you can't call me back, but I keep thinking if I just leave these messages that when you do come home, it'll be like you never left...or that's the hope. Well, I'd better go. I love you, Tyler"

Matt approaches Caroline with Brie "Hey, have you seen Bonnie?"

"Yeah, I called her last night. She's fine. She's just a little drained from, you know, everything"

"I have an idea" Elena said approaching them, holding up a flyer "Can you get me my old spot back on the cheerleading squad?"

"I mean, technically, yeah. I'm captain, but I thought you hated cheerleading"

"I did, but now I think it would be really fun to jump around and toss people up in the air. It's not like the routines are that hard"

Caroline glances at Matt and Brie, then smiling at Elena "I think that would make Damon really happy" Elena smiles vacantly back and walks off happily. Caroline turns to Brie "Get your uniform back on, your looking after her" She said as she watches Elena strut down the hallway.

The cheerleading invitational is underway as Elena, in her cheer uniform, observes the crowds. Inside, Brie approaches her cheerfully "The uniform still fits. You look fantastic" Elena twirls to show off her uniform "We are totally gonna kick Grove Hills' ass"

"Yeah. Should be fun" Elena uses her heightened vampire hearing to listen to a girl across the gymnasium.

"Oh, my god. You guys, I left my makeup bag on the bus"

"I'm gonna go stretch" Brie says as Elena is half-listening while she fixates on the girl. Brie walks away and the girl walks past Elena out of the gymnasium.

Outside, the girl walks up into a school bus and retrieves her bag. She turns around and suddenly Elena is right behind her " I like your ribbon"

The girl looks at Elena, awkwardly "Um, thanks"

Elena stares at the ribbon in the girl's hair "I want it"

The girls smiles "Yeah, but I'm using it, so go get your own" She tries walking around her but Elena moves into her way.

Elena's eyes vamp out, she snarls and launches onto the girl's neck. She continues feeding while the girl splutters and groans in pain. Elena, still drinking from the girl's neck, reaches around and pulls the blue ribbon out of the girl's hair

Later, back inside the gym, Elena has the blue ribbon tied around her ponytail.

Brie approaches her. "Hey, where were you? We're going on any minute"

"I'm here, aren't I?"

"What's with the ribbon? That's not even our colours"

Elena simply gives her a cute sly smile, twirls her ponytail, and walks away while Brie watches her uneasily. She then catches sight of the girl Elena fed on; she now has a scarf tied around her neck and is pulling at it uncomfortably. Upset, Brie catches up to Elena. "Are you out of your mind?"

Elena turns round to face her "What is your problem?"

"Feeding on the competition? Hello. Did you not hear what Damon told you?" Brie said angrily.

"I did, but who cares? I'll do whatever I want"

Stefan approaches them "Everything all right?"

"Yeah, as soon as the queen backs off, everything will be fine" Elena says calmly.

Elena walks off to warm up with the other Mystic Falls cheerleaders while Brie and Stefan watch her carefully "Remember how Damon sired her to behave?" Stefan nods "It didn't really work"

They hear a voice over the PA system say, "Up next: Mystic Falls' very own Lady Timberwolves" and the crowd in the gym cheers. Elena walks away from Stefan but runs into Brie "No way. You are not cheering"

"Let's see you try and stop me" Elena continues walking past Brie. In the gym, the announcer says, "Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for your very own Lady Timberwolves" while the girls get in position and the crowd cheers. Led by Caroline's "Ready!", the team starts their routine: "L-O-L, O-M-G, you're looking at Mystic Falls Varsity! B-E-A-T, beat those Cats." Three girls, including Elena, toss Brie into the air, but when she comes down Elena backs away and Brie falls straight to the ground. The crowd gasps in shock while the rest of the team rush over to Brie. Elena looks at Brie, who is still on the ground, then at Stefan across the room, daring them to react, before turning and walking away.

Elena is still dancing on a table, pouring alcohol into someone's mouth. Stefan and Brie are dancing together, laughing and talking. Elena sees them enjoying themselves, jumps down from the table and approaches them. "Look who finally joined the party"

"Yeah. Why? Are you jealous or something?"

Elena chuckles" No. That would imply emotions, and we've already established those are useless. No. You guys look good together" she says smiling "By all means, Brie, just take him out for a spin. He could use it" Elena walks away. Brie and Stefan exchange awkward looks. A random girls walks in and she starts to move past Elena but Elena grabs her arm and stops her "Why don't you have a drink?"

"Eh take your hand off me" she girl said struggling to get out of Elena's grip.

Elena eyes vamping out briefly "Either you have a drink, or I will"

The girl starts reaching for a bottle to use as a weapon but Elena pins her against a wall. Brie vamp-speeds over to them and pushes Elena away. Brie growls and starts to go for Elena but Stefan stops her "Brie, calm down"

Brie was struggling against Stefan "Calm down? I'm gonna wring her skinny little neck!" Suddenly Elena vamp-speeds out of the house, leaving a cup spinning on the patio outside.

Brie and Stefan are out in the woods looking for Elena. "Elena! Where the hell is she?"

"Right where she wants to be. This is completely calculated. She drew all those people to the house, waited for an opportunity to distract us, and now she's free"

"I can't believe she's doing this. I mean, she trying to hurt innocent by standers, Stefan"

"All right, listen. You search the woods, I'll check the road. If you see her, don't hesitate. Just snap her neck, got it?"

Brie nods her head "Yeah"He turns and walks away; Brie continues searching the woods. "Elena! Don't make me fight you, Elena! I'm stronger than you, and I don't want to hurt you"

Elena vamp-speeds into the clearing, throws Brie against a tree then throws her down onto the ground. Elena gets on top of Brie, holding her down at the throat "Who's gonna get hurt?"

Brie throws Elena off and they both stand up, facing each other "Not bad. Not technically good, but then again, Alaric didn't train you. You were probably too busy butting into people's business!"

Elena swings her leg up to kick Brie but Brie dodges her. Brie tries to grab her but Elena grabs Brie's throat. Brie tries to loosen Elena's grip but then Elena headbutts her. Brie puts a hand to her forehead "Oh, just stop!. This isn't you, and you know it! You hurt innocent people, Elena. How far are you gonna take this?"

"Are you trying to make me feel bad for hurting people? Don't you get it? I don't care. I mean, maybe you should try to turn it all off. Who knows? You won't have to feel guilty about all the dirty thoughts you have about Elijah"

"Shut up" Brie says getting angry.

"Make me" Brie strikes Elena and they engage in hand-to-hand combat. Elena is holding Brie's fist "You fight like a girl"

Elena breaks Brie's arm, snaps a small branch off of a nearby tree and stabs her in the stomach with it. Brie falls to her knees, Elena pulls the branch out of Brie and is about to stake her through the back when Stefan vamp-speeds into the clearing with Damon and restrains her.

Elena was struggling against his hold "Let go of me!" Damon takes Elena from Stefan.

Damon was fighting to keep hold of Elena "II admit, under any other circumstances, this would be a major turn-on"

Stefan kneels beside Brie "Get her out of here. Go" Damon vamp-runs away with Elena while Brie and Stefan catch their breath "You all right?"

"You mean besides the fact that my best friend tried to kill me?" Brie said sitting up and slumping up against a near by tree.

Stefan was sitting on the the ground across from her "Look, it's not her. You have to remember that. With her emotions off, she's the worst version of herself"

"So how do we get her back? Or what if we can't? Why would she choose to turn her emotions back on? She's an orphan. She just lost her brother. Her life sucks, Stefan. So why would she come back to us?"

Stefan begins leaning forward "Even when I was at my worst, Elena didn't give up on me. So we can't give up on her"

Brie nods slightly. Stefan holds out his hand.

"Deal?" He says with a small smile. Brie smiles back a little, then reaches out and shakes his hand.

The next morning, Brie is collecting trash from around the house, which is still a disaster after Elena's party. Finding a cup that still has alcohol in it, she thriftily drinks the last sip before tossing it in the bin. Klaus enters the room. "Desperate times, I take it?"

Brie is not looking at him "What are you doing here?"

"Not judging you, for starters, although if you are determined to get drunk, then perhaps I might recommend something a little more sanitary?" Maintaining eye contact, Brie drains another cup and throws it defiantly into the bin she's carrying. "Well, then. You showed me"

Brie returns to her trash collecting "Shouldn't you be out chasing Tyler to the ends of the earth? Or are there still some hopes and dreams you wanna crush around here?"

"Depends. Do you happen to know where the young Brutus is?"

"I know where he's not, with Caroline. And he gave Matt the deed to the house, so he's gone for good"

Klaus nods and walks closer to her "Tyler made it his life's mission to kill me. You can't hate me for driving him away"

"Oh I can, and I do. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to get back to spiralling, so go away"

They stare at one another until Stefan enters the room "Actually, I asked him to be here. We need his help. I think Silas is in Mystic Falls"

Klaus is pouring himself a drink while talking to Brie and Stefan. "So some blood went missing from a few hospitals. What about Elena? Don't vampires with their humanity off tend to overindulge in human blood, or were you the exception?" He turns to look at Stefan.

"It's not Elena" Stefan said, he knew it wasn't Elena since she was away to New York with Damon.

"Well, let's say for a moment that it was Silas. I'm struggling to see how this affects me"

"Look. Silas wants to die and be reunited with his one true love, but he's supernatural, so if he takes the cure and dies, he gets stuck on the Other Side. But if he destroys the Other Side altogether, he can take the cure, die, and pass on, but in destroying it, every dead supernatural being will return to our side"

Brie understands what Stefan was staying and joins in with the conversation "That means every werewolf, every witch, every vampire. I wonder how many of those you personally killed. Care yet?"

Klaus starts smiling "My interest is piqued" he looks at Stefan "How do we stop him?"

"Bonnie said Silas needs to complete three massacres to do this spell. Before Professor Shane died, he convinced the pastor to blow up the Council. Next, he had you kill your hybrids, and now he only needs one more massacre, so if he's here, that's what he's doing. We need to find him".


	9. Chapter 9

It's night-time. Stefan, Klaus and Brie enter Shane's office and start looking through his stuff. "What are we even looking for?" Brie asks as she wonders about shane's office searching for something she didn't know what she was searching for.

"Well, if Shane really was working with Silas, chances are he was helping him plan his next move"

"Where, on his evil villain to-do list? 'Steal blood, perform 3 massacres, pick up dry cleaning'?"

"Actually, not to nit-pick, but we evil villains usually use minions to pick up our dry cleaning, that sort of thing"

Brie looks unamused and looks at Stefan "Why is he necessary again?"

"Well, we don't know what Silas can do, so if we do have to go head to head with him, an Original hybrid who can't die might come in handy"

"Besides, Stefan and I work well together, or at least we did in the twenties"

"Well, granted my emotions were off"

"And that's why you were more fun, just as Damon is probably relishing in Elena's emotionless company in New York"

"My brother knows what he's doing" Stefan bites back at Klaus's comment.

"Does he? Don't underestimate the allure of darkness, Stefan. Even the purest hearts are drawn to it" Brie looks up from her searching, affected by his words. Stefan laughs him off. "Still, I'm sure it'll all be fine"

Brie was recalling herself "I think I found something" she carried a large book over to the desk "Symbolic Figures in the Dark Arts." Didn't Bonnie talk about Expression Triangles? Here"

She points at a large, intricate drawing of a triangle.

Stefan reads from the page opposite. "In some schools of magic such as Expression, human sacrifice can be used as a focus for power. It is rumoured that the addition of two supernatural sacrifices compounds the mystical energy, creating an Expression Triangle."

Brie at a symbol in the drawing "Humans that was the council fire" pointing at another symbol "Demons- Klaus' hybrid failure"

"Well, I wouldn't exactly call it a failure. What's the third?"

Brie brings clasped hands to her mouth "Oh, no"

Brie and Klaus are alone in the office, poring over a map of Mystic Falls. Brie, with a ruler and a pen, draws lines on the map while she talks "There've been two massacres. Pastor Young's farm is here, and the old Lockwood cellar, where you spitefully slaughtered 12 of your own hybrids, is here" She has drawn a line connecting the two locations "According to the book, the Expression Triangle is equilateral, putting it here"

Brie draws another two lines, forming a triangle on the map.

"Somebody's been skipping their geometry classes" Brie frowns and Klaus takes the ruler and pen "There are actually two places where the third massacre could be" He draws two more lines, forming another triangle opposite of Brie's.

Brie smiles "Well, you didn't let me finish" They continue to look at each other across the desk when the door opens and Stefan enters. Brie swivels around "Hey. What's going on? Did you find Bonnie?"

"No, but I talked to her dad. I think I found Silas"

Brie and Klaus are walking through the dark woods. Klaus has his phone out "You know, when we split up you did have the option of going with Stefan"

Brie chuckles "Yeah? And leave Bonnie's life in your hands? Fat chance. Do you even know how to read a map?"

"Yes, and do you know who taught me? My friend Magellan" He pockets his phone.

"Wow! You had a friend. Was he drawn to your darkness, too?" Brie says sarcastically.

"Actually, I was referring to Damon and Elena when I said that, but clearly it struck a chord with you"

"It's because it's not true! There is no allure to darkness"

Klaus stops and turns round to face her "Really? So you've never felt the attraction that comes when someone who's capable of doing terrible things for some reason cares only about you?"

" I did once, when I thought he was worth it, but it turns out some people can't be fixed. People who do terrible things are just terrible people"

Klaus merely looks at her, stone-faced. "We're here, although judging by the lack of witches, here is not the correct location"

The torches burn bright around the witches' circle. Bonnie is still lying on the ground, struggling against Aja and screaming. Her eyes are still milky-white and her nose is bleeding. "Yield to the spirits, Bonnie! You can't fight us!"

Stefan vamp-runs into the circle. "Stop! It's not what you think"

"This is no place for a vampire" Aja says angrily.

"She's working for Silas. He brainwashed her to kill you" Bonnie whimpers on the ground. Aja pulls out a dagger "Wait. What are you doing?"

"If Silas has her, she's lost. We can't save her"

"Wait" Stefan moves toward Bonnie but Aja flings out her arm and uses a spell to weaken Stefan. He grabs at his head and staggers backward to his knees.

"I have the power of twelve witches. You don't stand a chance!"

Stefan vamp-speeds away from the circle, backing into a tree and groaning in pain. The witches resume chanting. Klaus and Brie join Stefan "They're linked. Bonnie's gonna kill them"

"Not if the witches kill her first" Klaus slams Stefan up against a tree.

"Klaus, we need to save her" Brie says trying to push Klaus off Stefan.

"How? The only way to stop the witches is to kill them, and then Silas gets what he wants"

"Spirits, take her soul. Free her from darkness" Aja holds the dagger over Bonnie as Bonnie screams in pain. Suddenly Brie vamp-runs into the circle and pulls the dagger into Aja's chest, killing her "No!" Brie could hear Klaus yelling. Brie watches as the witches forming the circle begin to drop dead and the torches' flames burn out. Brie looks around, shocked by what she's done, but then remembers why she did it. "Bonnie. Bonnie!

Bonnie opens her eyes, they were still milky-white.

Bonnie smiles eerily "The triangle is complete"

Stefan takes Bonnie back to her house and lays her on her bed. He decides to wait on her to wake up before leaving her, to make sure she was okay. Stefan is sitting on the edge of Bonnie's bed while she sleeps. She starts waking up and Stefan turns to face her. Her eyes appear their normal colour. "Hey. How you feeling?"

"What are you doing here?" She asks sitting up, not remembering anything that had happened "How did I get here?"

"What do you mean? I brought you home. The witches almost killed you"

"What witches?" She looked at him funny as she didn't know what he was talking about.

"You don't remember?" Bonnie raises her eyebrows at Stefan. "Whatever the witches did must have messed with your memory"

"How did I get off the island?" Stefan, confused, readjusts himself on the bed.

Stefan moves closer to her "Wait. Bonnie...what's the last thing you can remember?"

Bonnie shrugs her shoulder " I guess I remember being in that cave, and Jeremy was trying to pry the cure out of Silas' hands. Please tell me he got it" Stefan won't meet her eyes "We didn't get it, did we?"

"Bonnie, there's something you need to know about Jeremy"

Klaus and Brie are in the woods. It's daylight. Klaus shoves a shovel into the ground while Brie sits nearby. "There. Twelve graves for twelve witches. Like it never happened" He rolls down his sleeves. "Only it did happen, and now Silas has everything he needs to open the gates to hell on earth"

Brie looks at him blankly "You were just gonna let Bonnie die"

Klaus moves closer to her "I know arithmetic isn't your strong point, but one is still less than twelve"

"Yeah, but that one is my best friend" Brie said getting up on her feet.

"You tell yourself whatever you need to so you can sleep at night"

"I just killed twelve people" Brie said with dreadful realisation. She starts to gasp as though about to cry.

"Hey" He places his hands on her arms. "Hey. You look like you're in need of comfort" Brie nods, and meets his eyes. Klaus smiles cruelly "Why don't you find someone less terrible you can relate to?"

Brie pauses for a moment before turning and leaving the clearing. Regret crosses his face as she flees. Klaus turns back toward where he placed the shovel, but then senses someone behind him. With foreboding, he turns around to see Silas, in Shane's form. "Thank you. Of the three massacres, this is the one I was dreading"

Klaus has a smile on his face "Silas, I presume"

Brie vamp speeded to the Mikaelson mansion and met Elijah at the front door. He looked concerned for her as he could see tears streaming down her face. Brie walks into his arms and cried some more as Elijah put his arms round her to comfort her. Elijah throws his arms down towards her legs and lifts her up and carries her into the house. He walks into the living room and sets her down onto the couch. He crouches down in front of her and examines her. "Whats wrong? Are you hurt?"

"Psychically, no. Mentally, yes" she managed so say as tears were still rolling down her face.

"I don't understand" Elijah said not understanding what she was talking about. He stood up and walked towards the bar and poured a drink of her.

"I killed 12 people today Elijah, well witches to be exact. That's not me Elijah. I am not a killer. Well I thought I wasn't" Brie bluntly said as she looked down "Oh god" she said bringing her hands up towards her face and starts crying hard again.

"Hey, hey" He puts the glass down and sits next to her and puts an arm around her and pulls her closer to him. Her head leans on his chest "Your not a killer Brianna. You done whatever you had to do to save Miss Bennett. She would of done the same if you were in her position, I know I would"

Brie looks up, with a puffy face "I know but I lectured Elena for killing innocent people but Im just as bad as her"

"You done the right thing. You saved your friend. If you hadn't killed those witches Bonnie would be dead right now. She is alive because of you. You had the guts to do something, others wouldn't"

Brie smiles a little as she could see Elijah was trying to make her feel better. She looks into his eyes as he did hers. Elijah wipes the last remaining tear off her face. She moves closer into his touch as he strokes her face. She liked it when Elijah touched her. She didn't have the same feeling when Klaus touched her face. She wanted to punch Klaus but with Elijah it felt right. He moves a strand behind her ear and smiles. He pushes her head softly in towards him and he kisses her, pecks her on the lips slowly and gently. She was surprised and tensed up a little but then deepens into the kiss.

Back into the woods, Klaus was still talking to Silas who was still in the shape of Shane "I'm sorry, mate" He starts patting his pockets "Don't have it"

Sila's smiles "But you know who does, and the last thing you want is for that cure to be used on you, so you bring it to me, and it won't be. You get to live"

Klaus starts laughing "Yeah. With all of my dead supernatural enemies from the Other Side. You know, you don't scare me, Silas, or Shane, or whoever you are"

"But I think I know what does" Silas pulls out the white oak stake.

Klaus eyes widened "Now where did you get that?"

"Well, let's just say your sister's mind is a little easier to read than yours. So care to reconsider my offer?" Klaus pauses for moment, then vamp-runs toward Silas, but Silas disappears. Suddenly Silas attacks Klaus from behind and stabs him with the white oak stake, and Klaus screams in pain "I missed by an inch, but don't worry. I'm not trying to kill you, not just yet" He breaks off the white oak stake, leaving the broken tip stuck in Klaus' back. "Just a little something to remember me by" He pats Klaus on the shoulder and walks away " I'll be in touch" Klaus remains kneeling on the ground, groaning in pain.


	10. Chapter 10

Klaus is feverishly trying to get the piece of white oak stake out of his back. He is scratching his own flesh off, leaving the wound on his back a bloody mess. "Brie" enters. "Klaus, we need to talk" Klaus is moaning in pain "What happened to you?"

"Silas. He attacked me. He stabbed me with the white oak stake. A piece of it-is still inside me"

"Oh my god, Klaus, that could kill you"

Klaus laughs humourlessly "Well, I certainly feel like I'm dying"

Brie reaches for Klaus' face, stroking it. When she speaks, she doesn't sound like Brie "Hey. As much as I would love to watch you die, you still haven't found me that cure"

"Silas!" Klaus pushes Brie/Silas away and falls to the floor.

"That's right. Last night I looked like Shane, today I look like Brianna, and tomorrow-who knows?"

"Show me your real face" Klaus said through gritted teeth.

"Now why would I do that when I can look like whomever I want you to see?" Silas approaches and Klaus shudders in fear. "Resist me all you want, Klaus, but until you bring me the cure I will bring you nothing but misery" Brie/Silas disappears and Klaus relaxes painfully.

An hour later, Brie storms into the Mikaelson Mansion in search of Klaus "I got your fifty bajillion messages. This better be life and death" Brie shouts as she hears moaning echoing the hallway.

"Go away" Klaus growls in pain.

"Klaus? Where are you?"Brie finds Klaus shirtless sitting on the floor, leaning on a piano seat. She enters the room "What happened to you?"

Klaus: I need more time. Stop hounding me!

Brie pulls a face "I'm hounding you? I'm supposed to be helping Caroline run three different prom committees right now and you keep phone stalking me"

"Is it really you?" Brie looks surprised. Klaus struggles and pulls himself onto the piano seat and leans back against the piano. "Prove it to me"

"Okay, I don't know if this is some new way of flirting, but it sucks, and I have more important things to do" Brie turns around and starts to leave.

"Wait, please. Silas. He stabbed me with the white oak stake" Brie turns around. "There's a piece of it stuck inside me"

"Why would Silas attack you?" Brie asked crossing her arms.

"Well, I was in no position to ask questions. Suffice it to say, I'm hurt. So you can understand why I called you"

Brie laughs softly "You ran Tyler out of town, you killed his mother, and you think I'm the person to call for help?"

"If I die, you, Tyler, all of your friends die with me"

Brie thinks for a moment and then walks closer. "What do you want me to do?"

"Well, it's quite simple, really. I need you to cut the stake out of me" Klaus looks down at a pair of bloody pliers lying on the rug. Brie looks down at them, perturbed.

Klaus is bracing himself against the piano while Brie uses the pair of pliers to try to dig out the white oak stake. "Oh, my god. You do have a heart" Klaus yells in pain through gritted teeth as Brie moves the pliers in his back "Oh, my bad. It's just a bloody rib"

"Well I'm glad you're finding my misery so amusing"

Brie was still looking for the piece of broken oak stake but couldn't see anything "Ugh, I swear there's nothing in here. And if you think I'm having fun, you're insane"

"You killed twelve witches for your friend Bonnie. You can't even get your hands a little dirty for me? Here I thought we were becoming friends"

"Well, you thought wrong" She digs a little deeper into Klaus' back. He yells in pain and starts slamming his hand on the piano top. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry. I'm sorry. You know what?" She yanks the pliers out of his back and he yells in pain. "I'm not sorry. You deserve to suffer for everything that you've done. So today, we're gonna do things my way. You want my help? You let Tyler come back to town, and give me your word that you will not hurt him" Klaus shudders in pain but doesn't respond.

Brie is sitting on the sofa looking at her phone while Klaus, propped up on the back of another sofa, is still reaching round at the wound in his back "I can feel the splinters moving towards my heart. Help me!" Klaus said moaning.

"Your word first" She said still looking through her phone, not giving him any eye contact.

"And what makes you think I won't simply break my word?"

Brie looks up from her phone "You wanna be friends? Friendship-Stage One. Show me that I can trust you"

"I saved your life...twice" Klaus says angrily.

"Because you put it in danger...twice. Why can't you just do something decent for once?"

"Because Tyler Lockwood tried to kill me!"

"We've all tried to kill you" Brie stands up "And you've tried to kill most of us. How do you think that you deserve my friendship when you've done nothing to earn it?"

Klaus stands and approaches Brie quickly. "I will not have my hand forced by you or anyone else!" He starts shouting.

Brie raises her voice "What is wrong with you? I'm reaching out to you despite everything that you've done, and you still can't get out of your own way. God! I feel sorry for you" She turns away but Klaus vamp-speeds to block her way.

"Don't turn your back on me!"

" I should have turned my back on you ages ago!" Brie shouting emotionally.

They remain silent for a moment." It's gone." Klaus says realising the pain in his back was gone.

"What?"

"The pain" He reaches round to his back. "The pain is gone" he starts realising something "It was never there. He got in my head Silas" gesturing at his temple "got inside my head" He takes Brie's hand. "You took my mind off it. You brought me back, Brie"

Brie takes her hand back gently and turns around, bringing her hands to her head and walking a few steps. She turns back to Klaus "If Silas can make you, of all people, believe that you're dying...what can he do to the rest of us?"

Bonnie walks alone through a cemetery, carrying a bouquet of flowers. She comes to a stop in front of Jeremy's headstone, which reads: "JEREMY GILBERT - BROTHER AND FRIEND".

"Hey, Jeremy" She is crying silently while she kneels and places the flowers on his grave "You know, I was- I was thinking about the last thing I said to you. "We did it." Totally lame last thing to say to someone. That wasn't a goodbye, Jeremy. You were supposed to come back with us"

"Bonnie" She hears Jeremy's voice behind her, and smiles with excited hope.

"Jeremy?" She turns to see him standing behind her.

"Bonnie, wake up" Jeremy says urgently.

"I don't understand"

"Open your eyes. Bonnie, open your eyes!" Jeremy grabs her by the arms while imploring her to wake up. Suddenly, Bonnie is lying on a couch at home and her eyes open. The blanket covering her is on fire.

"Oh, my god" She waves her arm over the flames and the fire disappears. Mouth hanging open, Bonnie looks horrified.

Back at the Mikaelson Mansion, Brie enters the room, wiping her hands on a towel. "I used all your bleach" She starts to walk past Klaus but he reaches out and grabs her arm. She turns to him

"Hey. Thank you for helping me"

"Yeah" She pauses awkwardly "Well , if you need anything else...don't call me" She turns and walks away.

Klaus starts smiling "Friends, then?"

Brie pauses, then turns back round. "Are you gonna let Tyler come back into town?"

Klaus' face falls and he doesn't say anything. Brie shakes her head slightly, then turns away. "You might have noticed" Brie faces him again "I'm not exactly scouring the earth for him, am I?"Brie smiles, then finally leaves the room. Klaus smiles as well.

Later in the day, Brie storms into the house, talking to Stefan while she looks around for Elena. "Where is she? I wanna see her"

"We're not letting anyone see her, that's the whole point. Isolation leads to misery leads to emotion"

"She's been here for days. She hasn't improved at all?"

"Look, she doesn't want to, Brie, not yet. She's devastated; she lost her brother, she she attacked her friend, she killed an innocent woman"

"You said that you knew how to help her"

Stefan nods "I did say that. We are."

"What, how? By torturing her?"

"It's not torture, it's an intervention. The only chance we have with her is to provoke her, to trigger something. Fear, anger, self-pity, anything"

"Let me talk to her. Before any more interventioning. If she's weak, she can't hurt me. Please, just let me try" Stefan still looks reluctant but they go down to the cellar.

"Good luck" He leaves. Brie looks at Elena for a few moments, sympathetic. She withdraws a bottle of blood from her pocket.

"I brought you something. It doesn't have any vervain in it, I swear. I just figured a little blood might help you think straight" She approaches Elena, holding out the bottle after she opens it. Elena pauses for a moment before seizing on the bottle and drinking it desperately "For the record, I don't agree with what they're doing. I mean, I agree that you need to turn your humanity back on, but I don't think that making you suffer is the way to do it. That's not who you are"

Elena spins the empty bottle on the stone floor "What makes you such an expert on who I am? I tried to kill you, Brie I'm not exactly BFF-material anymore. You should move on" Elena continues to spin the bottle on the floor until Brie reaches out suddenly and stills it.

"I am not going to give up on you"

"This annoying, clingy thing that you're doing. Klaus and Elijah? I mean, let's just say it: nobody likes a tease. Brie rolls her eyes, making an exasperated sound "Hey, I'm not judging. Might be nice to have a bad boy ruffle those perfect feathers"

Brie tries to keep it together "You're in pain, you're lashing out, I get it. But you can't stay this way forever. We're about to graduate, and start new lives! And you deserve"

"Are you seriously talking about high school graduation? Brie, do you realise how pathetic you're gonna look in that cap and gown, pretending to be human while your mom fake-smiles and just counts down the minutes until you leave town so that you can stop being a reminder that her daughter is a repulsive, blood-sucking control freak monster?" Brie losing her patience, stands up and turns away "It's really too bad Stefan stopped me before I put you out of your misery, but hey, here's to second chances"

Elena vamp-speeds over to Brie to attack her. Brie holds her off while Elena growls, teeth bared "Elena" Elena doesn't let up, so Brie snaps her neck. Elena falls to the floor. Stefan returns, standing behind Brie. She speaks without looking at him. "Do whatever you have to do" She turns and looks at him "I'm gonna be upstairs" She walks past Stefan and leaves.

Outside the boarding house, Brie and Matt talk. Brie hears Elena's scream coming from inside. "We have to keep talking. If we don't keep talking, then I won't be able to stop myself from listening in, and I can't stand to hear Elena in pain"

They come to a stop in a patio area; Brie sits in a chair and Matt leans against a half wall "Well, what do you wanna talk about?"

"I don't know. Anything" She pauses " Caroline ordered you a cap and gown"

"She did?"

Brie Nods "She just figured that you'd forget, so she ordered yours when she ordered mine and her. And she got one for Elena, too"

Matt starts to move closer to Brie to sit in another chair "It's gonna work. We're gonna get Elena back" They hear a door open across the way, and see Rebekah inside through some glass doors, carrying a brown paper bag.

"What the hell is she doing here?" Inside, Rebekah withdraws a takeout box from the paper bag when Matt and Brie come inside "Hi. I don't mean to interfere. It's just, I happen to know all they keep in this house is blood and booze, so I brought a peace offering. Burgers?"

Matt approaches her and takes the box, smiling slightly. "Thanks"

"Yeah, we can't really entertain right now, but thanks for stopping by"

"I think I might stay. Matt mentioned that he was failing classes and needed a study buddy"

Brie gives them two thumbs up and leaves. Outside, Brie reaches her car but drops her keys. She crouches down to get them when she hears a rustling noise nearby. She stands back up slowly and warily "Who's there?" She turns round to see Klaus standing right behind her. "Oh, my god"

"Hello, Brie"

Brie is walking with Klaus "Why are you here Klaus?"

"The truth is, I've tried to stop thinking about you, and I can't" Brie starts to push past Klaus. "Come to New Orleans. What are you afraid of?"

"You! I'm afraid of you, wait your moving to New Orleans? What about Elijah?"

Klaus ignores her question "Wouldn't it be more accurate to say you're afraid of yourself, your darkest desires? Elena was right, wasn't she? Deep down, you long to have your perfect feathers ruffled"

Brie raises her eyebrow "How do you know what Elena said to me in that cell?"Klaus suddenly pins her against a tree "Then again, there's so much to be afraid of, isn't there? Like what I'll do to you if your friend Bonnie doesn't come out of hiding. Where is she?"

Brie suddenly realises who it was "Silas"

Silas begins to shout "Where is she?! She's not at home, she's not anywhere. Bonnie is playing games with me, and I don't like it" He leans in close to speak into Brie's ear "Tell her I'm looking for her. Tell her to come out of the shadows. Tell her that this" He stabs Brie in the chest with a stake "Is only the beginning" Gasping, Brie falls to the ground, unconscious.

Brie's phone is on the ground buzzing with Matt's call. She wakes up after it stops, putting a hand to her chest - there's no stake there. She sits up and frantically runs through the woods when Matt appears out of nowhere and stops her. Brie gasps in fright. "Brie! Where've you been?"

Brie grabs his arm and pulls him "Matt, we have to get out of here"

"No, Brie. wait. It's okay" he says pushing her hand off him.

"No, it's not okay. Silas is out there and he made me think that it was Klaus"

"What are you talking about? What's Silas want with you?"

"He's trying to get to Bonnie. Do you know where Bonnie is?" She asked.

"If I knew where she was, I wouldn't bother with you. Matt/Silas grabs Brie's throat. "Now get me Bonnie or I'm going to kill someone." Matt/Silas releases Brie roughly and she runs away from him. She runs up the stairs to a door into the boarding house but she runs smack into Klaus/Silas. "No one in the house can help you. Find Bonnie or I'll kill the person you love the most" Klaus/Silas tosses Brie down the stairs and she falls, screaming. She gets up and vamp-runs to her car,

She hurries into her car and puts the car in reverse. She starts backing up but sees in her car's rearview camera a figure standing behind her. She slams on the brakes and turns her head to look out the rear window, but there's no one there. A shadow passes on front of the car right before Brie whips back around to see the rearview camera's screen is still person-less. Suddenly Silas appears in his true form right outside her car door's window and she screams. Throwing the car into drive, she speeds out of the driveway.

Brie is at her front door, talking on the phone while she unlocks it and lets herself in "Bonnie, why aren't you answering? Silas isn't going to just give up. You're the only one that can stop him. Call me"


	11. Chapter 11

Back in town, a couple enters the Grill while the wind whips their hair around from outside. Brie, Rebekah and Caroline are at the bar with Matt behind it.

"Is it supposed to rain tonight?" Caroline asked, looking outside.

"Do I look like a meteorologist?" Caroline gives her an exasperated look before looking over at Elena, who is across the room throwing darts.

"Well, someone needs to do something, before she explodes"

"I got this" Rebekah takes a bottle of liquor and a shot glass and walks over to Elena. "Drink. You're putting everyone on edge" Elena tosses the shot back, then places the glass on the table and resumes throwing darts "So, what's the deal? I'm new to this whole emotional switch situation"

"It's not complicated. See that dart board? All I can picture is Katherine's face" She throws a dart forcefully and hits the bullseye.

"So your emotions are on, they're just dialled to rage"

"Look, Rebekah. I get that we had our Thelma and Louise thing back when I had my humanity off, but let me make one thing clear: we're not friends"

"Okay. Rebekah simply said as she sat back down.

Elena walks over to retrieve her darts when Caroline joins them "Are we still friends? All those things you said when your humanity was off - is that how you really feel?"

"Caroline, I really don't feel like going down memory lane" Elena walks back to line up her next throw. Elena hesitates over her next throw, then gives it up and looks at Caroline "If you're waiting for an apology, you're not gonna get one. I can't let myself feel bad, because if I feel bad, then I feel everything, and...we've all seen how well I handle that"

Just as Elena throws another dart, the lights go out throughout the restaurant. Outside, the wind is so strong it's blowing debris through the air and the sounds of heavy objects falling and breaking are heard nearby. Matt, Brie and Caroline go outside to investigate as the other patrons leave, running for cover.

Brie starts shouting to be heard over the wind "The power's completely out"

"I'll call my mom - maybe she knows what's going on" Caroline shouts as she goes back inside as a police cruiser drives by with its sirens sounding.

Rebekah is lighting candles when Matt comes back inside. "This wind is weird. One minute it was blowing like a hurricane, now nothing, not even a breeze"

"Looks like something wicked finally came"

"You know, you don't have to be here. I mean, technically only one of us is getting paid" Rebekah starts to approach Matt.

"But it's fun. And kind of cozy, with the storm outside, and the candlelight...and us" She smiles at him, but her face falls when she hears the door open.

Kol walks into the room. "Oh, my god. Kol"

"Greetings from the dead. So, who fancies a drink?"

Rebekah gapes at him as he walks over to the bar "I thought I'd never see you again"

Kol pours himself a drink "Spare me the waterworks, sister. I've already watched you grieve. It lasted a full 24 hours, remember?"

"I'm assuming this means Bonnie dropped the veil"

"Not completely, and not for long. But who am I to give up an opportunity for revenge? My killer's already dead, but his sister's just as culpable, so maybe you could help me find her"

"If you hurt Elena, I swear-"

Kol violently smashes a glass bottle on the edge of a table and holds up the jagged remnant in his hand "Oh, I'm going to. But please, continue. I'm curious as to where you're going with this"

Rebekah stands in fromt of her brother "You've made your point, Kol. Leave"

"First tell me where I can find Elena"

"She left here hours ago, we don't know where she is. Now get out!"

"I see you finally got the quarterback to pay attention to you. How's the throwing arm, champ?" He throws the broken bottle and it hits Matt in the shoulder and lodges into it; he groans in pain. Kol starts walking away.

Rebekah gently removes the glass shards from Matt's shoulder with a pair of tongs "You know I could just cure this for you easily, right?"

" I'll be fine"

"Why won't you ever let me help you?"

"It's not you, I just...Look, people in this town have a bad habit of turning into vampires, and I'd like to graduate high school as a human" Rebekah smiles at him.

"I think there's a First Aid kit in the back"

"Okay" She takes the flashlight into the back room and grabs the kit. Suddenly she hears the sound of friction, like an object being swiped against something, along with someone grunting softly. Rebekah investigates and shines her light on Brie sitting on the floor.

"Brie, how are you still here" She sees that Caroline is repeatedly cutting a open wrist with some sharp object "Oh, my god"

"I have to keep cutting" she says as though she was in a trance.

Rebekah has brought Brie into the main restaurant. Brie looks as though she is in a trance while Rebekah holds her hands on either side of Brie's head "Brie, hey, snap out of it"

"I need to bleed. Silas wants me to bleed"

"Stop it, you're hallucinating!"

Brie makes a grab for a weapon on the bar "Just let me do this. I need to do this"

Rebekah tries restraining her "You're going to cut your hands off!"

Rebekah is still struggling to hold Brie "Let go of me!"

Matt walks over to them "Have you tried compelling her?"

Rebekah shakes her head "I can't, she's on vervain"

"I need to keep cutting, I need to keep cutting, I need to keep cutting" Rebekah suddenly swings at Brie and slaps her across the face. Brie stops her intonations and straightens up, holding her face with her hands for a moment. Rebekah waits with baited breath for her reaction "Bitch!"

Rebekah becomes relived "There is the Brie I know and loathe"

Bonnie is arranging some candles when she senses someone nearby. Her grams is standing a few feet away "You have to put up the veil"

"Not yet"

"What are you doing, Bonnie?"

"I can bring Jeremy back, I can keep him here. Elena needs him. This was always the plan. Jeremy wasn't supposed to die"

"It was the will of Nature. There is no magic in this world that is strong enough to challenge it"

" I have every magic! I have the spirits!" Bonnie raises her hands and the flames of the candles shoot up tall " Phasmatos revenios un Animum"

"Stop it, Bonnie!" Her grams yelled, warning her.

Veins start to circulate darkly beneath Bonnie's skin "I have the darkness" she started chantimg again "Phasmatos revenios un Animum. Phasmatos revenios un Animum" The flames climb higher "Phasmatos revenios un Animum. Phasmatos revenios un Animum!" Bonnie takes a huge gasp and falls to the ground. Bonnie comes to, lying on the ground. She gets up and seems disoriented. Suddenly a hand falls to rest on her shoulder. She turns to see her grams.

"I'm sorry, Bonnie. The spell. It was just too much" Sheila steps aside so that Bonnie can see her own body lying on the ground.

"Oh, my god...I'm dead!"

Stefan walks into the Grill and sits at a table. Brie enters the room and sits down across from him, setting down a bottle. "Good, you're here. We need to celebrate"

"Yeah, I'm not really in the mood to, ah, celebrate"

"What's wrong with you? Silas is dead, or whatever, and you're just sitting here like a bump on a log"

"There was someone that I thought I would see today, and, ah...I didn't. That's all"

"You better mean me" Stefan and Brie look at each other.

"You've got to be kidding me" He turns in his seat to see Lexi standing behind him. He smiles and stands to embrace her.

Lexi looks over at Brie "Thank you for keeping an eye on this one" Brie smiles.

Bonnie is in the boiler room at the school, on the phone with Brie who is manning the yearbook table in a hallway of the school. The shots alternate between them "I hit kind of a snag" Bonnie said looking down at her lifeless body on the ground.

"A snag? A snag is a bad yearbook picture. You hit a tsunami. Where are you?" Brie said on the other end of the phone.

"I'm trying to fix it, but I'm running into some trouble. I need to wait until the full moon tonight to have enough power to put the veil back up"

"Are you telling me that we might graduate right smack in the middle of a ghost-filled Expression Triangle?"

Bonnie glances down at her body lying on the floor. Her grams is with her, looking at it, too "Maybe we should just cancel"

"No, we are not going to cancel. Graduation is the most important event of our lives, the last ceremony of our youth. It is our rite of freaking passage! Hell will freeze over before I let anyone cancel graduation"

"Can you not make jokes about hell freezing over? We're not that far off from that already"

"Just promise me that today is a friend day"

"Okay, I promise. I love you"

"I love you, too" They hang up.

"Go. I'll make sure no one finds your body. But Bonnie"

"I know. Okay? I know I need to tell them, I just can't. They've been through too much already"

"I know, child. I was just going to say that...Make sure you say your goodbyes" Bonnie smiles sadly.

The students, all in caps and gowns, are milling about the football field getting ready for the ceremony.

"Where is everyone?" Caroline asks as she looks about to see where everyone was at.

"I'm here" Matt said as he suddenly arrived.

"Where have you been?"

"Oh, you know, making plans for the summer, dodging death by vampire hunter"

"Where's Elena? We can't do this without her" Elena arrives right then with Stefan.

"I'm here" Elena hugs Bonnie. "Thank you for today"

"I can't believe it. We're actually all here. We are all here together! Bonnie Bennett, are you crying?"

Bonnie gets teary "It's our last hurrah before you guys go off to college"

"Before we go off to college" Caroline corrected her.

"I kinda sorta missed the deadline. You know, being an emotionless bitch" Elena points out.

"Well, the perks of being a vampire we can go wherever we wanna go. We can choose our own roommates. We could get a quadruple room!" Elena and Stefan chuckle at Brie's enthusiasm, while Bonnie smiles with tears in her eyes.

"I'm happy we're all here"

"Aw – group hug!" Caroline said spreading her arms out in the air waiting for everyone to gather round for a hug.

Stefan: Ah, I don't – I don't hug...

"Oh, get over yourself!" The six of them close in for a joint hug. Mayor Hopkins opens the ceremony.

"Welcome parents, family, and friends. What a beautiful day for a graduation. Thank you for joining us today on this special day, as we celebrate our graduates. So let's get started. John Albrecht. David Bance. Sarah Beasley. Um, not to play favourites, but I am especially proud of this next graduate, my lovely daughter: Bonnie Bennett!" Bonnie walks up onto the stage and hugs her father "Congratulations. I'm so proud of you, sweetie"

" Thanks, Dad. For everything" He seems to sense something off about Bonnie's mood, but she smiles and leaves the stage.

" Brianna Colace. Savannah Davis. Matt Donovan. William Duncan. Caroline Forbes. Elena Gilbert. Congratulations"

In the audience Bonnie, seated among the students, claps for Elena when Kol suddenly leans forward from the row behind her to speak in her ear "Greetings, little witch"

"I thought We got rid of you" Bonnie said not looking at him.

Kol looks behind his row. "Isn't that the witch your friend Brie killed?" Bonnie turns and is surprised to see Aja sitting a few rows back. "And over there, that's my hybrid friend, Adrian. Also dead. In fact, these seats are scattered with two dozen supernatural faces, all of whom have reason to lash out since their lives were sacrificed in order to make your Expression triangle. All they're waiting on is word from me"

"The veil goes back up tonight. Don't you have anything better to do than harass me and my friends?"

Kol starts laughing "Well, that's the thing. I don't want the veil to go back up. In fact, I want you to drop it completely, so I and my fallen friends can live, Bonnie. It's time to pay the piper"

Inside the school, Bonnie leads Kol into the boiler room. "The Kol I remember was adamantly against hell on earth"

"I was, till I was in hell. Now I would very much like to be back on earth" Kol finally notices Bonnie's body lying on the ground "What's this?"

"It's me. I died last night. I'm a ghost, and I want the same thing you want. I don't want to be on the Other Side with unfinished business. I want my parents to see me off to college, I want to decorate my dorm room with my best friends. I want to stay here, Kol. More than anything"

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's do it together." He starts walking towards Bonnie, but is stopped suddenly, as though an invisible wall stands between them "What have you done?" He tries to leave through the door they came in, but again is blocked by the magical barrier.

"This will hold you till dark. Then, when the veil is back up, this town will be rid of you for good"

"But everything you just said–"

Bonnie nods her head "It was true. But we don't always get what we want, do we?"

Mayor Hopkins finishes reading the names. Alaric talks to Stefan over the phone; the shots alternate between Stefan on the school grounds and Alaric at the quarry "II would love nothing more than to get out of here before Vaughn comes back to life, but Damon won't take the cure. He wants it for Elena"

Okay, just hang on a little longer. Caroline's calling Klaus again.

[Caroline hangs up her phone, shaking her head.]

"Stefan, we are past the point of Hail Mary phone calls. What do you want me to do, stand here and watch him die, or force-feed him the cure?" Elena casts a significant look at Stefan, who remains silent. "Stefan?"

Suddenly a high-pitched noise causes Stefan, Brie and Elena to clutch at their heads in pain. Aja and the other dead witches approach them. "Remember us, Brianna" She holds her arm out, casting whatever spell is hurting the vampires, until suddenly Elijah shows up, throws a cap like a disk at Aja and it beheads her. Her headless body falls to the ground and the noise stops.

"There are plenty more of these to go around. Who's next? I can do this all day" Brie turns to Elijah, smiling.

Brie stands on the football field in front of the commencement stage. Elijah approaches her. "How'd you get here so fast?"

"I was already on my way" Brie raises her eyebrows; Klaus draws a piece of paper out of the inside of his coat " I received your graduation announcement. It was...very subtle" Brie shuts her eyes, smiling "I assume you're expecting cash?"

"That, or a mini fridge" Elijah smiles at her quick wit. "Your always there when I need you. Thank you" Brie says smiling as they continue to walk.

"Ill always be there for you Brianna. Whenever you need me. Even if its three in the morning, Ill be there to listen." He smiles as he walks at her pace.

Brie blushes at his comment "Want to go for drink?"

"Love to" Elijah smiles.

They both stop "I need to go clear out my locker before hand, say mystic grill at 7?" She offers.

"Ill see you then"

"Great" she smiles and gives him a kiss on the cheek before running towards the school.

Brie opens the door to the school and enters "Well, well" She hears a voice appear behind her "Speaking of unfinished business. The voice attacks Brie, throwing her to the ground. Brie braces herself but just as suddenly as the attack started, The voice had vanished. Brie gets up, realising what must have happened, but doesn't have more than a moment to let it sink in before she hears a noise nearby. She turns and Katherine is there "Happy graduation, cupcake"

She slams Brie against a wall.

Katherine throws Brie against a door "What are you doing?"

"Would you believe I'm having a bad day?" She picks Brie up and throws her against a wall of lockers. Brie gets up but Katherine speeds over and kicks up her leg to press her booted foot over Brie's neck.

"It started when Bonnie denied me my Silas-like immortality"

"Of course, because Katherine Pierce can't be happy with good old vampire-caliber immortality"

Brie finally manages to throw off Katherine's foot and uses her leverage to slam Katherine to the ground. Katherine immediately slams Brie back against another wall of lockers. Brie rips off one of the locker doors and swings against at Katherine's face. Katherine grabs onto the door.

"I deserved it. I never had a graduation, or a prom, or, you know, a life. But you did" Katherine swings the door into Brie's face, sending her back a pace "You have everything, and it's not because you're a good little girl who deserves happiness, it's because you stole mine"

Katherine throws the door at Brie who ducks and the door lodges into the other lockers. "I stole your happiness? You killed my Jeremy!"

Katherine runs at Brie, but Brie blocks Katherine and throws her down the hall. Katherine gets back up. "I'll admit, that was nasty"

Yelling in fury, Brie rushes at Katherine, who twists Brie's arm and throws her at a fire emergency case – the glass in the door of it shatters as Brie slams against it. Brie struggles on the floor as Katherine walks over, sees a janitor's mop propped against the wall and breaks off the wooden handle.

"I have nothing" She beats Brie with the stick "But I'm about to change that" She kicks Brie.

"Kicking someone while they're down...classy till the end, Katherine"

Katherine stars laughing "Your end" She stabs the broken end of the stick into Brie's throat. Brie gulps and struggles against it as Katherine digs it in deeper.

Katherine pulls the stick out of Brie's throat and thrusts her hand into Brie's chest, grabbing hold of her heart. Brie frantically reaches into a pocket in her jacket. "Bye-bye, little girl"

Brie finally pulls the cure out of her pocket and shoves it into Katherine's mouth and forces her jaw to close around it. Katherine's eyes widen as the cure dissolves in her mouth, and falls to the floor beside Brie, unconscious. "Have a nice human life, Katherine"

Stefan unloads the canvas bag that contains Silas' remains, but when he tosses it to the ground its contents sound like a bunch of loose pieces. He kicks it and reaches inside to find shards of ordinary stone. "Don't bother. I'm not there" Silas approaches him from behind, and Stefan turns and stands.

"Silas. You were stone. They saw you, the spell worked" "That's the funny thing about spells – they're bound by Nature. Nature demands balance, so every spell has a loophole. The spell that turned me into stone was bound by a witch – a living witch. So when that witch died, the spell broke" "Bonnie? Bonnie's not dead" Stefan says shocked by the news of Bonnie's death. "It doesn't matter, does it? And here's where the mystery of me comes full circle. I created the immortality spell two thousand years ago. I can never die, so Nature needed to find a balance – a version of me that _could_ die. A shadow-self – a doppelgänger" "So, this is finally your real face? You're another one of them?" "Not exactly" Silas' reflection in the car window shows a face identical to Stefan's, and Silas takes on his true form "Hello, my shadow-self" Silas approaches Stefan and stabs him in the gut with a stake "Do you have any idea what it's like to starve for two thousand years?" Silas lets go and Stefan falls to his knees. Silas puts Stefan into the body-sized safe, locks him in and tips it over the edge of the cliff into the quarry. Inside the safe, Stefan bangs against it as it begins to fill with water, shouting out as the water engulfs his face. 


	12. Chapter 12

The campus is crawling with students and parents moving in while Caroline, Brie and Elena make their own way to their dorm.

"You're dreaming about Stefan?" Caroline questions Brie.

Brie shakes her head "They're not dreams, it's more of a feeling. Maybe you should call him"

"He'll call you when he's ready" Caroline says trying to assure her.

Brie sighs "Yeah I guess he will. But I just haven't seen him this full summer. Where is he?"

Elena rests her hand on Brie's shoulder to try comfort her "We all haven't but I am sure he's fine. Maybe he's just taking a break"

"We're in college, guys" Caroline says with a huge smile on her face.

"We actually made it. We're here!" They smile together as Bonnie, unseen, smiles with them.

"We're all here together"

Elena, Brie and Caroline unpack their stuff in their new dorm. "You brought a panini press?" Elena questioned as she watched Caroline unpack a few random things.

"Small appliances, by the fridge" Brie looks at her friend with a weird look as Liz carries a box into the room.

"Okay, that's the last one. All right, give me a goodbye hug before I change my mind and drag you home with me" Caroline hugs her mother. "You can call as much as you want, you know?" Liz says tearfully.

"Mom, we'll be fine"

Liz laughs and steps back. She looks at Brie and Elena "Come here" They hug.

Liz looks at Elena "This is where your dad fell in love with medicine, you know? He would be really proud to see you here"

"Thank you" Elena says smiling as Liz lingers for a long moment while they all look at each other, and the girls laugh.

"Okay, go! Before I change my mind and make you stay." Caroline says trying to push her mum out the room.

"I'm going, I'm going! I love you. Bye, girls" Liz leaves and closes the door behind her. The girls turn to each other excitedly.

"So? Roomies, I think we should drink to something"

"Well, I couldn't agree more...roomie" Caroline opens her suitcase and pulls out two blood bags; she tosses one to Elena and Brie.

Brie raises her glass and toasts"To us, and college, and being functional vampires."

"To the next chapter in our lives" They "clink" their bags in a mock toast when there's a knock at the door. With vampire speed, they stash their blood bags and turn to face whoever the visitor is.

The door opens and an unfamiliar girl walks in, carrying a load of stuff. "Hey"

The girls look at each other "Uh, who are you?"

"Oh, I'm Megan. Your roommate" Elena, Brie and Caroline look at each other, shocked and confused.

Brie puts on earrings while watching herself in the mirror, seeming lost in thought until Caroline loudly shuts a drawer and Brie snaps out of it. The shower can be heard running in the background "Did you notice how Megan's juicer takes up all the small appliance space? She has an entire drawer dedicated to organic linen"

"What happened to privacy?" Brie said turning around.

"Maybe if she didn't take such long showers, I wouldn't have time to go through her stuff. How are you okay with a forth roommate?"

"Because we're trying to be functional, and being functional means we need friends"

"We also need personal space. I mean, what if we suddenly get a craving, and I want to eat her? Or our blood bags go bad because we can't store them in the mini-fridge? Ugh, and what the hell is protein water?" Caroline pulls out the bottle in question, and Elena and Brie shrug "You know what, maybe if I drink it all, she'll wanna move out"

Caroline opens the bottle and takes a sip "Caroline, no" Suddenly Caroline coughs up the water as it sizzles in her mouth, collapsing to the floor. "Vervain"

The door to the bathroom opens and Megan appears, wrapped in a towel "What's going on? Are you okay?"

Caroline straightens up as Megan walks over with a clean towel to give her.

"Yeah, she's, uh, she's fine"

"Water just went down the wrong pipe. I'm okay, really. I shouldn't have touched your stuff, I'm really sorry" Caroline said haltingly.

"It's fine. It just sounded like someone was dying out here. Well, I'm glad you're okay!" Megan returns to the bathroom, shutting the door.

"She knows who we are – she drinks vervain water!" She yells softly so Megan couldn't hear.

Elena shakes her head "That doesn't mean she knows about us"

"Seriously? We share a bathroom with this girl! What if she's a hunter, and she stakes us when we're in the shower? Or she steals our daylight rings while we're asleep and then we burst into flames when the sun comes up?!"

Brie rolls her eyes at Caroline over reacting "Don't you think that, if she was a hunter, we'd be dead by now?"

"I think we should lock her up. You know, let the vervain get out of her system, and then we compel her to forget about us"

Brie intervenes "Caroline, I'm not kidnapping our roommate! The best way to convince her that we're normal, is to act normal. And do normal, human, freshman-y stuff"

"Such as?" A grin spreads across Brie face and she moves her shoulders like she's dancing.

The party is well underway when Jesse, the flyer guy, approaches Caroline, Brie and Elena.

"I'm Elena, this is Caroline and Brie" Elena says introducing them to Jesse.

Jesse smiles at both of them "Nice to meet you"

"Hi" Brie smiles and turns away without another word. Elena looks at Jesse apologetically and follows Brie. They stop suddenly at the entrance to the house, unable to go any further. "What the hell?"

Elena mumbles to Brie "Someone must own this place. We have to be invited in"

Megan comes out to the entrance "Hey! I was wondering if you guys were gonna make it"

Brie, Elena and Caroline stand awkwardly in the doorway when Jesse catches up with them. "You guys going in, or...?"

"Go ahead" Elena smiles as Jesse walks around them into the house.

"Why are you guys just standing there?"

"We were just.." Elena started thinking of an excuse.

Brie could see Elena was struggling for an excuse "Waiting for someone. She's late"

"Right. Well, I'm gonna go hang" Megan goes back into the house, and Brie, Elena and Caroline drop their too-bright smiles.

"Like I said, she knows" Caroline slyly says to the other two and watches Megan dancing from outside the house. Brie sighs and walks a few inches away from Caroline and Elena and she feels someone pushing her along. Before she could turn around someone grabbed her and vamp speeded out of the grounds.

"Well what do we do now?" Caroline says as she turns around to look at Brie who wasn't standing behind her "Brie?" Caroline called out as Elena turned around as well. "Phone her" Caroline said looking at Elena.

"She left her phone in the dorm" Elena said as Caroline sighed wondering where Brie had gone to.

Brie and Klaus are sitting at a table across from each other. Brie pulling her foot up onto her chair, takes a sip of wine while Klaus talks to her.

"Why did you kidnap me?" Brie says crossing her arms.

"Wouldn't say it was kidnapping love"

"Really? I was at a party trying to enjoy myself and you came and took me away from my friends. Id call that kidnapping"

"Call it what you want love. You know something that I don't"

"And that is?" Brie says as she was trying to work out what he was talking about"

"Give you a clue in the name. Katherine Petrova"

Brie rolls her eyes at the mention of the name "I'm lost. What do you want to know what I apparently know?"

"Talk in the town you were the last person to be seen with her. So where is she?"

"Yeah and I haven't seen her since. And ill be so happy if I don't see her again. She has made my friends life hell and I put her in her place"

"And what would that be love?" Klaus said eagerly to know.

"Ive said too much" Brie said taking the last sip.

Elena and Caroline hover on the edge of the party outside while Elena leaves a voicemail.

"Hey, Megan, it's Elena. Just calling to let you know why we left, so call me when you get this. Bye"

"Okay, it's settled. When she leaves, we grab her"

"Or we could just let her know you weren't feeling well"

"Elena, she saw us stuck at the threshold, we might as well have flashed her our fangs"

"There's no way that out of the thousands of freshmen, we were randomly paired with someone who knows about vampires"

"Maybe it wasn't random"

Elena's phone rings "Megan's calling" she says to Caroline and then picks up the phone "Hey, Megan"

"Elena! You have to help me! He's chasing me!" Alarmed at the panic in Megan's voice, Elena puts the phone on speaker as Caroline leans closer.

"Megan, who's chasing you?

"Help me! Oh, my god!"They look up at the upper storey of the house, but don't see anything unusual.

"We can't come inside – the line's too long. If you come out – where are you?"

"Elena, please help me!"

Caroline takes the phone as Megan starts screaming over the phone "Megan, can you hear me? Get outside and we can help you"

Suddenly something falls to the ground beside them, and they whirl around toward it.

"Oh my god!" It's Megan. Elena crouches down beside her. Her neck is ripped open.

Caroline stays standing "Who did this to her?" Caroline looked around to see if anything suspicious was going on.

Elena examined Megans neck "This was a vampire"

Back in the Mikaelson Mansion, Brie walks into another room with a drink in her hand, Klaus following behind her and stopping in the doorway. She approaches an area where Klaus's paintings lay on tables or stand propped up on the ground. Brie points "Hate that" she says while flipping through larger ones standing upright "Too much. I don't get that"

Klaus walks further into the room, looking like he's about to say something but instead smiles and says nothing. Brie starts picking up smaller paintings and gives her opinions "Hmm...I don't care" She tosses it away "Hmm. This one"

She picks up a painting of a dark figure silhouetted by a fading sky, standing near a bare tree.

Brie smiling, looking over her shoulder at Klaus "It doesn't make me wanna puke" Klaus smiles back, looking down. Brie puts it back down "Why'd you paint it?"

"Painting is a metaphor for control. Every choice is mine; the canvas, the colour" He begins to walk slowly closer to her. "As a child, I had neither a sense of the world nor my place in it, but art taught me that one's vision can be achieved with sheer force of will. The same is true of life, provided one refuses to let anything stand in one's way"

Brie snorts slightly, smiling. She looks up at Klaus through hooded eyes, and as she talks leans in to speak near his ear as she passes him "So this is your thing- show a girl a few mediocre paintings, whine about your childhood, and I swoon and spill all my dirty secrets?"

"I felt I had many charms, but, uh, regardless, I'm enjoying myself"

"And you do whatever you enjoy" changing her tone "Up to and including hunting my friend Tyler for the next century"

"Oh, surely not the next century. Only until I kill him" Klaus walks over to a table to pour himself a drink.

Brie starts laughing "You talk a good game but the truth is you let him go. My guess: you know if you kill him, Caroline will hate you forever"

Klaus faces her "If I simply killed Tyler, my revenge would be over in a moment. Sentencing him to a lifetime of paranoia and fear, that's Tyler's true punishment. But come now" walking towards her "You never really thought there was a future for them two, did you?"

Brie shrugs "I don't know. He might've of still been with Caroline if you hadn't chase him out of town"

Klaus starts laughing "You know, if Tyler has even half your resolve, he may actually make it through the year"

Brie sips her drink and shaking her head "It doesn't take resolve. It takes allies, a network of people willing to do anything for you, including chase down loose ends to their death. That's how Katherine escaped you all this time"

Klaus walks even closer to her "Perhaps you know Katerina's whereabouts?"

"I don't know where she is like I've said before but lets just say I made her very vulnerable now" She knocks back the rest of her drink as Klaus smiles.

Klaus is hanging up his cell phone while Brie stands with a drink watching the fireplace.

"Your free to go if you aren't going to tell me about Katerina or you can stay and tell me"

Brie pauses for a moment "I could be persuaded to stay maybe I could drum up a few of Katherine's secrets and you could do something for me"

"Oh, I'm sorry, love, but you'll never convince me to let Tyler go free"

"Well, then, I guess you'll never know what I've done to Katherine then. It would definitely help in your favour and it could leave Katherine fate in your hands" Klaus looks torn and turns and walks away. "Do you wanna know why I like that painting?"

Klaus turns back "Well, perhaps it was because it allowed you to see into my deep, wounded soul"

Brie walks towards him "I saw how twisted it really is" She bites her lip "And maybe I can relate"

"So what's it gonna be? Going? Or staying?"

"You like to be in control. You tell me" Brie says in the moment. Klaus brushes his hand against Brie cheek before grabbing her to him and she grins. They start kissing and Brie pulls Klaus's shirt over his head. Klaus vamp-speeds her up onto the table and she tears her own shirt over her head. Klaus pushes her down flat onto the table, then mounts her and kisses her neck while she gasps and moans underneath him.

Officials surround Megan's body and cover it up while Elena and Caroline observe from a short distance away. "What is happening? Our roommate is dead, there was a vampire at the party"

"We don't know what she knew or who she told. We should get out of here"

"Caroline, I left that message in her voicemail!" Elena says realising her at left a message.

"Don't worry, I took her phone"

"What?"

A policewoman approaches them "Hey, girls? I'm Dianne Freeman, I'm head of Campus Security. Are you okay? I understand Megan was your roommate. I'm so sorry you had to find her like this."

Caroline crosses her arms "Do they know what happened?"

"We found a note. Apparently she was struggling with severe depression"

"Wait, what do you mean you found a note?"

"Your roommate took her own life"

Caroline raises an eyebrow "You think this was a suicide?"

"We're convinced it was a suicide, but we can't seem to find her cell phone. Have you seen it?"

Caroline looks at Elena, nervously "No"

"Okay. If it turns up, let us know?" They nod, and the officer walks away.

"What is going on?"

They headed back to the dorm so Caroline listens to Elena's voicemail on Megan's phone. "Delete" She hits the necessary button. She and Elena arrive at the door to their room, which is ajar.

Elena cautiously pushes the door open "Someone's been in here. Megan's tablet's gone. Along with her so-called suicide note. Can I see the phone for a second?"

Caroline hands it over and Elena looks through the photos in it "It just doesn't make any sense. First, the roommate we're not supposed to have might know about vampires, and then happens to be killed by a vampire, and now the school's covering it up? Seriously, who is this girl?"

"Whatever's going on, it's not just about our roommate. It's about me" She holds up the phone to show Caroline a photo. "That's Megan – with my dad"

Caroline is in bed listening to a voicemail from Tyler "Hey, Caroline. I've put a lot of thought into this, and decided to defer school for now. This werewolf pack I'm helping...they need me. I know it's lame to do this over the phone, but I figure this way it's harder for you to kill me. I'm really, really sorry, Care...but this is important" The message ends and Caroline hangs up. Elena is lying in her bed awake and hears Caroline start to cry.

Elena hears Caroline crying and turns around "You okay?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine" Caroline said wiping her tears.

Elena turns in bed to face Caroline. "I'm sorry, Caroline"

Caroline turns toward Elena. "I'm really glad that you're here"

"I'm really glad you're here, too" They each turn back to go back to sleep, though Elena looks pensive.

In the Quarry, Stefan hallucinates that he is lying on a blanket near the quarry with Brie

"We could be doing anything right now, Stefan. Be anywhere. Why here? Why this?"

"These are the good moments...the simple ones, the ones that matter. These are the moments that keep me from falling apart

Brie smiles, and leans down to kiss Stefan "This can't last forever. You're just distracting yourself" Suddenly Brie starts choking and spitting up water. In real life, Stefan starts drowning again.


	13. Chapter 13

It's daytime. Outside the dorm building, students lay flowers at a memorial for Megan. Elena enters her dorm room to find Caroline rifling through the contents of a cardboard box. "Megan's memorial outside is growing by the minute"

Caroline rolls her eyes "Ugh, college kids are so dramatic. She was on campus for, like, one day. She couldn't have made that many friends"

"Caroline, she's dead. You can stop competing with her"

Caroline sighs " Sorry, I'm in a mood"

Elena sits next to her "You talked to Tyler?"

"He's deferring from enrolling and deferring from returning my phone calls, so I'm deferring from having sex with him ever again"

"How's the snooping going? Any explanation why our vervain-laced" She looks back to check for eavesdroppers "vampire-slaughtered roommate had a picture of my dad on her phone?"

Caroline shakes her head as Elena suddenly remembers something, and hands a folder to Caroline "Oh, um, I went by the hospital this morning, Megan's death certificate. It says she died of suicide. No mention of the gaping vampire-bites on her neck. So, whoever signed off on the cause of death was part of the cover-up, just like the Founders Council back home"

"Dr. Wesley Maxfield"

Elena nods "A.K.A., our Applied Microbiology professor. I switched our classes around, so that we could—"

"Applied — what, what? Uh, Elena, we are supposed to be taking Intro to Communication. What happened to getting drunk and making bad decisions about boys? What happened to our fun freshman year at college? I am supposed to be a drama major!"

"You're not going to be an Anything major if we get exposed as vampires!" Elena stops, realising her voice had been rising. Both she and Caroline take a deep breath, and Elena smiles. "We are still gonna have our fun year, Caroline, but we have to protect ourselves. The way Damon kept his secret in Mystic Falls was because he infiltrated the Founders Council. So, bust out those alleged acting skills, and let's get on it, okay?" Elena smiles at her, and finally Caroline relaxes and smiles back. They hear the door opening and closing and they turn around to see Brie. Elena looks at her up and down to see her clothes were all ruffled "Who's the lucky guy" she says with a big smile on her face.

"Nobody. A mistake. A big mistake" Brie said as she grabbed fresh clothes from her drawer.

"Enough about that. Where have you been?" Caroline said standing up with her arms crossed.

Brie sighs "If I tell you, promise you wont judge or tell anyone about what Im about to tell you"

Elena and Caroline look at each other and then look at Brie "Promise" they say in unison.

"I slept with Klaus"

"You what!" Elena and Caroline yelled.

"Shush" Brie said trying to quiet them "Not so loud. And I know. He kidnapped me last night if you were wondering where I had gone to. And he wanted to know about where Katherine was and one thing led to another. I blame drink. Im not drinking again" Brie said taking her top off, revealing her bra to them.

"Everyone says that" Caroline rolls her eyes "I cant believe you had sex with Klaus. I thought you were shacking up with the older one. Elijah"

"Caroline. I am not shacking up with anyone. Me and Elijah have just been seeing each other and that's all" Brie said as she started to feel really guilty. "Oh my god Elijah" Brie sighs as she flops onto her bed "Im a bad person. A really bad person. This is going to kill him" she says sitting up with her head in her hands.

Elena sits down next to her and put her hand on Bries back. "Brie you haven't done anything wrong. But what you need to do is tell Elijah. Before Klaus does"

Brie looks up "I know" she sighs "He's going to hate me"

Caroline sits on the other side of Brie "Maybe he will. But at least you told the truth. Could be worse. Could have a boyfriend who your probably never gonna see again"

"That bad huh?" Brie asks "Any update?"

Caroline nods "I was just saying to Elena that he has deferred from enrolling and deferred from returning my phone calls"

Brie puts her hand on Caroline thigh "Im sorry Care. Hope your okay"

Caroline nods again "I will" she smiles "Especially since I have you girls by my side"

"I did try to convince Klaus to let Tyler come back Mystic Falls before that happened"

Caroline chuckles "Ive learned to deal with it. Klaus wont let Tyler back into Mystic Falls. Not even sex with you Brianna could convince him" Caroline jokes as she receives a soft slap on the arm by Brie. Elena laughs as she watches Caroline and Brie laugh at each other.

An hour later, Brie Caroline and Elena enter the lecture hall for Dr. Maxfield's class. They pass by Jesse on their way to their seats. Jesse looks at Caroline "Hey, Blow-Off Girl. Aren't you a freshman? How are you in this class?"

"What? I love" She stutters, looking at the blackboard "Applied Microbiology...It's, like, my favourite biology. You know, little things are just so...cute"

"Are you going to the bonfire tonight? Or are you just gonna get really close and then turn around and leave again?"

"She'll be there" Brie intervenes and gives Caroline a playful wink.

"Sweet. We'll hang" Brie gives him a thumbs up and Caroline pushes her away to a few rows back. Caroline gives Brie a look.

"What? You said you wanted to make bad decisions about boys. He's cute, he's interested, and most importantly, unlike Tyler, he's here" Caroline narrows her eyes at Brie, but doesn't respond.

Just then, Dr. Maxfield walks into the lecture hall

"Morning, everyone. I'm Dr. Maxfield. First name is Wes, but call me Dr. Maxfield. One day, when you're out of med school, you'll understand. So, you're all going to this bonfire tonight, right? Well, here's a quick history lesson for you. Whitmore was founded as a hospital during the Civil War. Deadliest war in American history — over 600,000 casualties. Disease was so prevalent that once a week, they had to gather all the dead, rotting bodies, put them in a pile, and light the whole thing on fire. So tonight, when you're getting drunk and partying, stop for a second, close your eyes, and imagine the rancid smell of a hundred rotting corpses"

"Creep-y" Caroline sings quietly.

Dr. Maxfield continues "Which brings us to microbiology..."

Brie mumbles her response "But hott-ie" Elena rolls her eyes and giggles at her friends.

"Because that rancid smell comes from a very specific bacteria. Isn't that right, chatty girls in the back?" Brie, Elena and Caroline, still smiling from laughing quietly together, turn to face Dr. Maxfield, their smiles fading. "And what is that bacteria?"

Elena stutters as she was asked a question off guard "Uh, that's the, um...um...I don't know"

"Maybe because you're freshmen, who shouldn't be in this class. How do I know? I'm observant — a skill you'll learn in Bio 101, down the hall" Dr. Maxfield points to the door, while Brie, Caroline and Elena shift uncomfortably in their seats.

A few days later; Elena had to go back home as Damon had figured out Silas was back and was pretending to be Stefan. Damon and Elena found the real Stefan brainwashed by a witch who was Silas former lover. Elena talks to Brie on the phone. The scene alternates between Elena at the Salvatore boarding house and Brie at Whitmore college. "Please tell me I wasn't out of my mind leaving Damon in charge of Vampire Amnesia 101"

"What did he say exactly?"

Elena looks at the message Damon sent to her and she read it out to Brie "One text – "So far, so good." Which, in Damon speak.."

"Means that they probably devoured a troop of Girls Scouts by now"

"Brianna"

"I'm kidding...kind of. Although it's not uncommon for patients with retrograde amnesia or other traumatic brain injuries to turn volatile"

"Okay, Dr. Colace. Since when do you know so much about amnesia?"

"It's possible I studied up on my chem, biochem, applied microbio, molecular bio, and Grey's Anatomy—the real one and the television show"

"You did all that for Stefan?"

"Of course I did. I'm also trying to impress Dr. Maxfield. I figured if I could get closer to him, i.e. into his biology class, maybe I could figure out why he covered up our roommate's murder by vampire, and it's also possible that I have a study buddy"

Brie enters Dr. Maxfield's lab. Inside there are Dr. Maxfield, Jess and Caroline. "Hi, Dr. Maxfield. Are you ready to go study, Jesse? Caroline?"

Elena was still on the phone "Jesse? Dr. Maxfield's incredibly hot, funny, and miraculously single lab assistant?"

"I'm dragging him to our hometown graveyard bell-ringing ceremony"

"As in creepy first date?"

Caroline overhears the conversation and intervenes and yells down the phone"As in a study date" While I'm there, I might as well ring a bell for Tyler and me considering our relationship is on its death bed"

"Will I see you there? You could bring Stefan. I mean, it is ironically called "Remembrance Day"

Elena nods her head even though they cant see her "I hope so, I really do. It just depends on how Stefan's handling the whole download of his dark and stormy past"

Brie whispers to Jess "Hi" and goes back to talking to Elena "All right. Well, I'll talk to you later"

In the Mystic Falls Cemetery; People are sitting around, picnic style, ringing bells for the dead and drinking alcohol. Some put fresh flowers on graves. Caroline is lying on a blanket, Jesse is sitting on a chair with a textbook. Brie watches on as they both question each other on microbiology.

"Red Queen Theory. Go" Jesse questioned Caroline.

"A theory often used to explain the contradictory relationship between predator and prey"

Jesse looks up from the text book "And why does the supposedly weaker species always stay one step ahead?"

"Fear of extinction" She sits up and looks at Jesse "The rabbit is faster than the fox because the fox is chasing its dinner. The rabbit's running for its life"

Jesse looked impressed "Damn. If Maxfield doesn't let you in, you can have my spot"

She chuckles. "Well, whenever anyone tells me I can't do something, I prove them wrong"

Brie watches on as she see's Caroline smile. Caroline smiling, made Brie smile as she hadn't seen Caroline smile in a very long time. And she needed someone to put a smile on her face other than her friends.

"Brianna" her thoughts were interrupted when someone called out her name. Brie looks in the direction where she heard the voice call out her name. She seen Klaus standing behind her smiling. She didn't look too happy to see him and turned around not even acknowledging him. "Cmon on love don't be like that. You weren't like that last night" He smirked at his comment which didn't leave Brianna too pleased with him.

"What do you want Klaus?" Brie said crossing her arms still not looking at him.

He walks closer to her "You" he flirted as she moved hair away from her neck and started kissing down her neck.

She moved away from him "Don't. Touch. Me"

"Whats wrong love? Not what you were saying last night when I was doing that" She really wanted to slap him.

"Klaus, lets get one thing straight okay. Last night was a mistake. Was never meant to happen. If you had just left me with my friends we wouldn't be having this conversation"

"Have you told Elijah? I am sure he would love to know what you have done behind his back"

"Klaus please don't tell Elijah. Let me. Okay he deserves to know from me. Promise me Klaus you will let me tell him" she pretty much begged.

He was enjoying the sight of her begging in front of him "Okay love. You have my word. But one condition"

"Anything" she said, standing waiting for his offer.

"One more time" he said, licking his lips.

Brie looked at him is disgust "Never going to happen" she laughed sarcastically.

"Well then I guess I cant promise not telling Elijah"

"You're an evil man Klaus. You cant just blackmail me to get what you want"

Klaus moves closer "Sweetheart I can do anything I want. And I can have whoever I want" Brie looks at him up and down. She slaps him before storming off back to her dorm. Leaving Klaus smiling as he held his face. She had to tell Elijah sooner rather than later.

Stefan is walking around among the people. He grabs a bottle of alcohol from a basket and keeps walking as he starts drinking. Brie notices him "Stefan?"

"Brianna Colace, my best friend"

Brie looked shocked as he recognised her "What, you recognise me?"

"Well, I've studied pictures. You're much hotter in person" He drinks some more. "Sorry. I'm a little drunk"

"Yeah. Yeah. I can see that. Are you okay?"

"Well, if by "okay" you mean heavily spiralling into Ripper oblivion, then yes, I'm dandy"

"Keg-stand guy passed out, so I stole these" Jesse says as he appears with two cups.

Brie looks at Jesse "Hey. Thought you were with Caroline?"

Jesse nods "Yeah I was but she told me to find you"

"Do you mind just giving us a couple minutes?" Brie asked, polity.

"Yeah. It's probably a good idea because I can sense from here that you have a paper cut on the palm of your left hand, and I want to rip your entire arm off"

"Stefan!" Brie yells at him and walks up to Jesse, compelling him "Go away, hide. I'll find you" Jesse leaves Brie turns around to face Stefan "Look. I know that you're hungry, but you don't do people, okay? It just doesn't end well"

"What about blood bags? Do you have any blood bags?"

"Yes. In the car. Come with me" Brie turns around and starts walking to her car but Stefan speed-runs out of there.

Jess was in his hiding place and he went on the phone "Hey, Brie. It's Jesse. I don't know what's going on, but for some reason, I'm in a crypt in the cemetery, and I have no idea why"

Stefan suddenly appears behind Jesse. He vamps out and bites Jesse on the neck. Stefan lets go of Jesse "There. That wasn't so bad, was it? I did it. I stopped"

"I don't know what you are man, but"

"Oh, I'm a Ripper. You know what that means? That means I literally can't stop feeding until I rip someone's head off. But look at us. We're working it out"

"Let me out of here, please!" Jesse said trying to beg Stefan to let him go.

Stefan nods "I know I should let you out. I'm good, right? I'm compassionate. I live with this burning hunger inside of me that allows me to stay in control, but what do I have to show for it, huh?"

Jesse looks scared " I don't know you, man"

"I have no memories because my brain was fried. My brother, who's been my brother for a hundred and sixty-some-odd years, stole my girlfriend, and my girlfriend let him, so you tell me" Stefan sheds a tear "what's the point of being good?" Stefan vamps out again and bites Jesse.

Stefan is furiously feeding on Jesse "Hey! Stefan, stop!" Brie pulls Stefan away from Jesse. Jesse lies on the floor "This isn't you, okay? You might not remember, but I do. You are better than this. You are not this person"

"I have to go.I have to leave."

"Stefan" Stefan leaves. Brie turns back to look at Jesse. He's bleeding profusely. "Oh, my God" She bites her wrist and offers it to Jesse. "Jesse, Jesse, drink this. You'll be okay. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I got you into this, I'm just sorry"

It's the next day Brie got a phone call from Elena. Everyone found out Bonnie has been dead for the last few weeks. She died trying to put the veil back up. She sacrificed herself for bringing Jeremy back from the dead and saving everyone else from the dead who were out for a vengeance.

It was daytime and Stefan is standing in the crypt. Brie walks in. "Hey. How you feeling?"

Stefan looks behind him "Hmm. I'm feeling better, which in my world means I haven't committed a homicide since I last saw you. I've been doing a lot of thinking today, a lot of wandering around, and this seemed like the most appropriate place to come" He looks at Brie. "What's wrong?"

Brie looks upset "It's Bonnie. My friend, our friend. She's dead"

Stefan stands there awkwardly as he doesn't know what to say as he couldn't remember who Bonnie was "Uh. What happened?"

"Please don't ask because then I'm going to have to try to come up with an answer, which means I'm gonna have to actually think about it, and then I'll start crying, and I'm afraid that I might not ever be able to stop"

Brie sits on a stone bench. Stefan sits beside her "I'm sorry. I wish that I could remember her"

"I don't know. Part of me just wishes that I could trade places with you because without all the memories, maybe it wouldn't hurt so damn much"

Stefan tried to comfort her "It's okay"

"It's not. I'm never gonna see her again, and I just got so used to her being there all the time, and now what? I'm supposed to just learn to move on without her? How do I do that when all I have is this sadness and this anger and" she tears up.

Stefan interrupts her "Me. You have me. Look. You were there for me last night. Sounds like you're always there for me" He places his hand on hers "So let me be there for you, okay?"

Damon, Elena, Brie, Caroline and Matt, dressed in funeral attire, walk towards a stump of a tree, where Jeremy, wearing a black suit, places a picture frame on top. Caroline approaches the stump and places black and red cheerleading pom poms on top. Matt, who's wearing a bandage around his cut hand, then places a his lifeguard whistle on the stump. Elena scatters white feathers over the stump and all the other items, then she backs out crying and Caroline hugs her. Brie places Bonnie's grimoire on the stump.

Bonnie appears behind Jeremy and talks to him "It's okay. They need this. I need this"

Jeremy grabs a bell that was sitting on the stump "We ring this bell in honour of Bonnie, in remembrance for her" He rings the bell and places it back on the stump. "I'm not sure what else to say"

"Say that I'm not going anywhere, say that even though they couldn't see me I've been there the whole time"

"She says that she's not going anywhere, that she has been here all along. Bonnie has watched you have the summer of your life" Bonnie walks through her friends, talking and Jeremy repeats her words to Elena.

"And I saw you happy, and I know you think now that you can't have a normal life, that you have to be there for everyone, but you don't. Everyone will find their way, so you are gonna repack your things, you're gonna go back to college, and you're gonna live it up"

Bonnie walks up to Matt and stands in front of him even though he cant see her "You didn't do anything wrong, Matt. You know I would have sent you three hundred e-mails back if I could. I miss you"

Bonnie walks up to Brie "Brie, I know your in a tricky situation the now. But you will get through it. You tell Elijah what you need to tell him. He will forgive you in time. You just need to be patient" Brie was in tears but was in shock that Bonnie had obviously seen what has been going on.

"Caroline...I watched you decorate that dorm room like your life depended on it" They laugh. "And I know that college isn't everything you expected and that you feel like something's missing, but...Tyler" Tyler appears behind everyone, walking and holding a single white rose. Caroline runs to hug him. Tyler places the rose among the other items.

Bonnie stands next to Jeremy "This is good. This is all I wanted. I'll be okay. We'll all be okay" Bonnie and Jeremy hold hands. Damon holds Elena. Tyler holds Caroline.

Dr. Maxfield is looking at his computer screen. Jesse is sitting on a gurney "Your vitals are normal"

"Don't sound so disappointed" Jesse said sarcastically.

Dr. Maxfield turned away from his computer and looked at Jess "Tell me about your night"

"Caroline Forbes took me to a party in Mystic Falls, and then...it's kind of a big blank. I must have been really drunk"

"What's causing your memory loss didn't come in a red cup. It appears you have vampire blood in your system, Jesse, which means you were either injured to the point of needing to be healed, or someone wants to turn you into a vampire. I'm guessing the former, and then I'm guessing you were compelled to forget"

Jesse didn't understand what he was saying "I'm sorry. What?"

"It's nothing to worry about. The good news about having vampire blood in your system is that's step one to creating a new vampire" He pulls out a hypodermic syringe. "This is step two" Dr. Maxfield injects Jesse with the contents of the syringe. His heart monitor's beeping starts accelerating and then flat-lines. Jesse lies dead on the gurney.


	14. Chapter 14

Dr. Maxfield collects some blood on a petri dish and waves it over Jesse who is lying tied down on a gurney. He starts breathing heavy and vamps up. He tries to go for the blood. Dr. Maxfield puts the blood away.

"Dr. Maxfield, please! Why are you doing this?" He lays back down on the gurney "My insides, they're burning up. I'm hungry"

Dr. Maxfield pulls out a voice recorder and presses record "Subject 62547. After his initial transition, 62547 has undergone 3 days without feeding. Subject is weak but lucid" He opens Jesse's mouth, wearing latex gloves "Upper left and right cuspid normal after blood stimulus is removed"

Dr. Maxfield turns a small flashlight on to look into Jesse's eyes "What are you doing to me?"

Dr. Maxfield talks into the recorder "Pupils are at full dilation" He waves the light at Jesse "Sensitivity to light- an obvious 11 on a scale from one to 10"He writes some notes on a pad.

"What the hell is happening to me? Why am I so hungry?" Dr. Maxfield looks at him. "What are you doing to me?"

Dr. Maxfield talks into the recorder again "Subject is confused yet self-aware. Personality seems intact. Hunger remains primary focus. All in all appears to be a perfect candidate" Dr. Maxfield grins and turns off his recorder.

In the dorms, Caroline and Tyler lie on the floor, after having spent some quality time together.

Tyler lays on top of Caroline "Oh, before I forget, I talked to the registrar, and your major is - drum roll – sociology"

"How about we don't talk about my major right now?" He leans down to kiss her.

"And I compelled you a single"

"Definitely don't want to talk about my dorm room" He says going for another kiss.

Caroline pushes him away "Well, we could talk about the hybrid-sized jerk that you've been for not calling me back ever"

"How many times do you want me to tell you? I've been helping a werewolf pack in the land of no cell phone reception"

"Well lucky for you, I figured out a way for you to make up for it"

"I thought I did make up for it a couple dozen times" He starts kissing her again.

"Ha, ha, ha! You are escorting me to the Whitmore Historical Ball"

Tyler abruptly stops kissing her and stares at her "The what?"

"It's the one time a year were they put their whole collection on display, and everyone dresses up as famous historical figures. I got Stefan a costume. Even he's going. Come on, Tyler. I mean, how cute will we be as Bonnie and Clyde?"

Tyler raises an eyebrow "Seriously?"

"You're right. Let's not talk" She pulls him into a kiss.

Brie was at the Mikaelson's Mansion; in the driveway sitting in her car. Going over in her head what she was going to say to Elijah. She had to speak to him, she couldn't put it off for much longer. Especially since Klaus threatened to tell him which she hoped Klaus hadn't gotten there first. She took a deep breath before getting out the car. She got to the door and was about to knock but the door opened before she could. She was hoping it wasn't Klaus but in her luck it was the man she came to speak to.

"Elijah, are you busy? If so I can come back" Brie asked, nervously.

Elijah could sense she was nervously but didn't question her on it "Brianna, I sensed you were coming to see me. And in my luck I answered the door just as soon as you got here" Elijah moves to the side to let her in "Please come in" Brie nodded and walked into the mansion and walked into the living room area and sat down on the couch waiting for Elijah to enter. "What brings you here?" Elijah said sitting on the couch across from her.

Brie took another deep breath "I have something to tell you and I don't know how you are going to take it"

"Well, please tell me and we'll soon find out" he smiled.

Well that comment didn't make anything easier "Uh, the other night, I uh" she started stuttering.

"Slept with Klaus?" He came out with.

Her mouth opened and was shocked and he just came out with it "Uh how did you know what I was going to say" getting nervous and a little angry than Klaus had told him.

"If you think my brother told me then your mistaken. I can read your mind but also I knew you two have spent a lot more time with each other. I could sense you were nervous about telling me"

"Okay first thing, most of the time it wasn't on my own accord and secondly, I am really sorry Elijah. Im a terrible person" She said sighing with her head in her hands.

Elijah got up from his seat and sat next to her. "Brianna" he moves his hand on her chin and lifts her head up "I am not angry at you"

Brie looked confused "Your not?"

Elijah shakes his head "I know my brother has been harassing you for a long time now and he's the one to blame not you"

"I wouldn't say that was entirely true. It takes two people to tango Elijah. It's equally my fault too. So don't punish him for it"

Elijah nods as he understands what she was saying "No hard feelings Brianna. Just wish I spent more time with you and maybe it would have been us. Not saying us having sex. But…" Brie interrupts him by giving him a peck on the lips.

She moves her head back a little "If I could turn back time, I would of rather it been you than Klaus. Your more bearable" Brie joked as Elijah chuckled. Klaus overheard the conversation, and got angry and vamp speed out the mansion.

Caroline and Tyler walk into the Whitmore Historical Ball "All of this and you weren't even on the dance committee"

Caroline shrugs her should "I may have e-mailed them a few suggestions"

Tyler leans in and talks in her ear "Did I mention you're the hottest serial killer in here?" She giggles.

Caroline looks around the room "Well, considering the crowd, I'll take that as a compliment."

Tyler looks over at the bar and notices Stefan " I thought you got Stefan a costume"

Caroline looks behind her "He's James Dean. I went easy on him. I figured, between the blood lust drama, the Damon-Elena drama, the abuser drama, he's been through enough"

Stefan see Brie and approaches her after he sets his empty glass on the bar "Hey, dance with me. I'm buzzed, and I'm on the verge of having a good time" Brie and Stefan leave to the dance floor. On the other side of the room.

Tyler is sitting on a staircase drinking. Caroline approaches him "Hey. Here you are" She sits next to him. "What are you doing?"

"Look, Care. I can't do the college thing right now"

"Yeah. I completely understand. I have been pushing way too hard, and, you know, you need to make your own decisions. Point is, you're back, and we're together" She smiles.

"Do you know the reason we're together? It's because Klaus granted us permission to be together. I'm sorry, but I can't live like that"

Caroline nods "I see. So, this is about Klaus"

"No. This is about me. He killed my mom and got away with it. I can't just start caring about sociology and frat parties"

"You haven't even given it a chance"

Tyler shakes his head "I didn't come here to give it a chance"

"You came here to say good bye" Caroline said as the realisation sinks in.

"I need to go after him. I need to find a way to destroy his life like he destroyed mine"

"You know what, Tyler? For someone who hates Klaus, you certainly sound a lot like him" She walks away.

At the other end of the hall; Brie walks up to Wes Maxfield "You look like a woman on her way to the guillotine"

"Actually, she was beheaded with a sword" Brie added. She looks at him in his costume and wonders what he has went as "And you are Abe Lincoln?"

"Dr. Jekyll" he corrected.

Brie nods her head "Okay. Yeah. I can see that. So, where's Mr. Hyde?"

Dr. Maxfield shrugs his shoulders "I don't know. I am not responsible for my darker half"

"So, would it be totally inappropriate if a student asked you to dance?"

"Who could refuse a queen? Besides, you're not, nor will you ever be, one of my students" He swirls her into his arms and begins to dance.

"Major points for the dance moves, but zero points for lying on my roommate's death certificate"

"Look. I didn't want to lie, but I could't exactly tell her parents a mountain lion attacked her at a frat party. I'd be fired. Want to know my theory?"

Brie looks up at him "What's that?"

Dr. Maxfield leans in and talks in her ear "I think a vampire hunted her down, ripped her throat out, and threw her off that roof"

Brie moves her head and faces him "What do you know about vampires?"

"Doesn't matter what I know, Brianna, because we're never gonna see each other again"

"And why is that?"

He leans in again and talks in her ear "Because there are people at this school watching you and your friends and asking questions you don't want them to ask" He backs out "So, pack your things, drop out, and move back to Mystic Falls" Wes walks away.

In the dorm; Tyler is packing his things. Caroline walks in. "Hey"

"Hey" Caroline said taking off her scarf "I've been thinking about it, and I've decided that I'm not going to have this conversation again. I can't just sit here while I'm waiting for you to come back"

Tyler turns around to face her "I don't want that either"

"Then stay! Just be the love of my life. Just love me more than you hate him"

"I'm sorry, Care. I can't do that" He starts walking away.

"No. No. No! Don't you dare walk away from me! I swear to God, Tyler, if you take one more step, we are done, okay? No more surprises, no more excuses, no more chances. We are done" Tyler's eyes are red with tears, but he starts walking away slowly and then finally walks out of the room, never looking back. Caroline sits on the bed, crying.

Back at the Salvatore house; Damon is pouring some drinks for himself and Elena "So, Professor Blondie knows about vampires?"

"He said that if we don't drop out of school, the wrong people are gonna start asking the right questions"

"Ugh, that's not good" He gives Elena one of the drinks. "What are you gonna do?"

Brie takes the drink and shrugs "I don't know, but all I do know is that finding out the truth about Megan isn't gonna bring Bonnie back."

"Yeah. Well, neither is a desiccated Silas in my living room"

"So, the only way for Silas to trade in his life for Bonnie's is if he's a witch, but the only way to become a witch is to have the cure"

"Yep" Someone knocks at the door. Elena looks in the direction of the door, then at Damon "Now who could that be?" He smiles widely and puts his drink down. Damon opens the door.

"What's so urgent? I'm on the run" Katherine walks inside. "Don't exactly have time for a pit stop" He sees Silas on the couch "Or maybe I do. Maybe I have all the time in the world. Katherine Pierce eludes death yet again- ha, ha! and you two finally did something right for once. How does it feel?"

"Thrilling" He gives her a look.

"Damon, no" Damon super-speeds and grabs Katherine by the shoulders.

"He needs the cure to become a witch" Damon bites her neck.

"Agh! No!" He lets go "No. No. No, Damon. No, no, please! He need all of my blood. It'll kill me, Damon. Damon, please, I don't want to die. I don't want to die, Damon. I don't want to die. Please"

Damon pauses and seems unsure what to do "Good bye, Katherine" Damon grabs Katherine by the hair and pushes her severed neck into Silas' mouth. She looks as if she is getting weak, though she keeps struggling. Silas doesn't look desiccated anymore and Katherine falls on the floor. Elena and Damon hear a heartbeat.

Damon looks at Elena "Do you hear that?"

Elena hears the heartbeat "You've got to be kidding me"

"Takes a licking, keeps on ticking" Katherine opens her eyes and starts breathing again. She looks at Damon and Elena.

"Am I in hell?"

The Next day; Katherine is in Elena, Brie and Caroline's dorm room. After having taken a shower, she is in a towel staring at her reflection in a mirror. There is a box of black hair dye in her hand. Brie enters the room. "So, do you want to do small appliances, or toiletries? Brie is putting her things into her bags. Not realising that Katherine is in her room instead of Elena.

Katherine glares at Brie, wanting to kill her for turning her human but couldn't cause Brie was a lot stronger than her not since she was human "Um, we're moving out?"

Brie looks at her "Hello? Dr. Maxfield thinks we're vampires, you know, threatened to expose us, told us to drop out"

"That sucks" She clears her throat. Brie becomes suspicious. She charges after Katherine and puts her in a chokehold against the wall. "What the hell are you doing in my dorm, Katherine?"

"I just need a place to crash" Katherine said struggling to breathe.

Brie gives her a 'are you kidding expression "What? I loathe you"

"I'm desperate, okay? Damon kicked me out, Stefan doesn't remember me and I just spent my last $20 on a meal that I didn't even get to enjoy. And you owe me big time for turning me human"

"Aw. And how is any of this my problem?"

"Look at you. Moving out, giving up? It's very un-Brie of you. You need me. Bad" Brie loosens her grip on Katherine and backs away Katherine clears her throat. " In exchange for a place to stay, and Elena's meal card, I will help you deal with Dr. Whoever."

Brie corrects her "Dr. Maxfield. He teaches bio"

Katherine starts sniggering "I'm sorry. What? You're scared of a teacher? Aw, honey, you really need to take a crash course on Villain 101, but luckily for you, I have an honorary doctorate. What do you say, roomy?"

At Dr. Maxfield's lab at Whitmore College, he is performing some experiments with a microscope.

Speaking into a recorder "Subject 62547. Blood film analysis" A noise startles Dr. Maxfield. He looks up from his work, but sees nothing. So he resumes working on the task at hand "Cellular growth rate is phenomenal. As expected—" He hears another noise. This time, he gets up to investigate it, putting his recorder down on a table. A moment later, he looks back and his recorder is gone. Brie enters the room. "What are you doing here?" Instead of answering his question, Katherine comes behind Dr. Maxfield, injecting him with some type of substance that makes him pass out.

Dr. Maxfield is moving his head side to side while seated in a chair, his wrists bound to the armrests. "What did you inject him with?"

Katherine shrugs her shoulder "I don't know. It just said avoid contact with eyes" Katherine looks at the bottle "and do not ingest. Oops"

Dr. Maxfield as he's coming back to consciousness "It's etorphine"

"What are you doing, Elena?"

"We're draining vervain blood out of your system so I can compel you to forget that Elena and I are vampires"

"Wait, what? You'll kill me!"

"Shhh" Brie puts her hand up to quiet Dr. Maxfield "I'm trying to do some math. Okay. Uhh. So, if the average male has 5 litres of blood in his system"

"That's about right" Katherine agrees with her.

"Then carry the 1" Brie begins to mumble whilst running calculations.

"Just round up..." Katherine said trying to help her work it out

"Perfect! 4.7 pints" She turns around to Wes "Should I use the right arm or the left arm?"

"Untie me. I'll find the vein myself. You will kill me"

"Give me. It's not my first rodeo" Brie hands her the IV "Can you hand me one of those tubey things, and, um some tape?"

Brie walks across the room to retrieve the things Katherine asked for. They put the IV into Dr. Maxfield's arm, letting the blood drain into a beaker. "Oh, my God, it's totally working!" Brie said looking in surprise.

"Ta da!" Katherine grabs a scalpel from the table and touches Dr. Maxfield with it. "So, doctor, you tell me, who else knows about us?" She puts the scalpel against his neck.

"If you were willing to kill me, you wouldn't have gone through all of this trouble. You should have left when I told you to. They're on to you"

"Who's "they"? The people you want to expose us to? That secret society thingy that you belong to?"

" There's a gathering today at Whitmore house. The society is using it to suss out potential candidates. They were going to invite you, until they started suspecting that you were a vampire."

"So all I have to do is convince them that Elena Gilbert isn't a vampire? Done"

"They'll never let you in and a vampire could never get past the threshold" Brie and Katherine both smile at one another.

Katherine, pretending to be Elena, approaches the front door of Whitmore House. She fiddles with her hair, before knocking on the door. Dianne Freeman opens the door "Ms. Gilbert?"

Katherine looked confused "You know me?"

"I'm Dianne Freeman. We met the night your roommate died"

Katherine still doesn't know what she was talking but she forgot she was pretending to be Elena "Of course. Crazy night. Anyway, I am here for the shindig"

"I didn't realise you'd be joining us"

"Did I forget to RSVP? Sorry, I've just been so busy with my studies"

"We just started the tea" Dianne ushers Katherine into the door and looks confused when Katherine crosses the threshold

"Got any food?" Katherine approaches a table filled with food, where she starts stuffing food into her mouth and her purse. She then notices Aaron staring at her. "What? Are you the sandwich police?"

Aaron shakes his head "No. Just uh...trying to figure out why Wes told me to stay away from you"

"Do I know you?"

"Aaron. We met yesterday. You changed your hair...it's..."

Katherine tries to change the conversation "Aaron. Duh. Hi! So, what are you doing here? Are you apart of" she starts whispering "the secret society?"

He looks confused "The what?"

"You know" she starts whispering "the society" She gives him a quick smiles and wink.

Aaron shrugs his shoulders "I still have no idea"

"Either you're genuinely clueless or you're very good at keeping secrets" Katherine begins to cough. She then turns around and spits a tooth into her hand.

"Is that your tooth?" Aaron says noticing something is amiss.

Katherine starts panicking and whispering to herself "No. What is happening to me?" Katherine turns to leave, as Aaron asks her if she's okay.

Dr. Maxfield is still sitting on the stool with the vervain soaked blood pouring from his arm. Brie looks asleep nearby until Dr. Maxfield gets her attention "You're oddly calm, which only adds to my complete and utter terror"

Brie blinked and looks at him "Sorry. I spaced."

"You spaced? Brie, I would have bled to death"

"You know what? My head is all over the place at the moment, everything if just happening all at once. Sue me for having a moment"

"My apologies. Is the moment over?"

Brie nods "Yes. It is. Now answer my questions truthfully" She lunges forward and looks into Dr. Maxfield's eyes, compelling him to answer her questions "What is the secret society?"

Dr. Maxfield sighs and doesn't look like he's going anywhere "It's called Augustine"

"Augustine? I've never heard of it. How do you become a member?" She asks, as she was intrigued to know.

"Most recruits are legacies, but some of us were chosen for our extraordinary talents"

"And what is your extraordinary talent? Not to mention that you're willing to lie on autopsy reports like my roommate's! You knew she was killed by a vampire. Is that why you covered up her death?"

Dr. Maxfield shakes his head "No. I covered up her death because it wasn't just any vampire. It was the Augustine vampire"

Brie catches onHang on. Okay. So, your creepy elitist society also has their own vampire. Who is it?" Someone knocks on the door. Brie quickly takes control of the situation before she is found out.

"Wes, are you in there? It's Dianne Freeman" Officer Freeman called out.

"You were wrong. Elena Gilbert and I are not vampires, we're just regular freshmen. You're light-headed because you just gave blood this morning. Forget everything that happened here" Brie leaves the room.

"Wes? So you are here!" She called out again.

Dr. Maxfield shouts on her "Of course I'm here. Why?"

"Because it's five o'clock. You missed the Whitmore party"

"What? I was working. The day must have gotten away from me" He was still confused on what was going on. And he tried to think of the last thing he he could remember.

"That's not all you missed. Guess who I watched strut right into the front door? Elena Gilbert. Clearly not a vampire. What made you so convinced she was?"

Dr. Maxfield shakes his head "I have no idea. I guess I was wrong" He shakes his head and the gods back to looking into the microscope. Then he looks into his pocket for his recorder but it's not there and starts looking for it in his lab. Katherine walks in, still pretending to be Elena.

"Elena Gilbert, what brings you by?" Without a word, she tosses him his recorder and he catches it. "How'd you get this?"

"Mystery. I listened to about half before I nearly blew my brains out from boredom except for the part about your subject's blood being abnormal. That part was mildly interesting"

"Well, thanks for returning it"

"Now that subject, 62547, right? Is that the Augustine vampire?"

"I think you should go" Wes says as he stands up.

"Heh. And do what? Sprinkle all of your dirty little secrets across campus, like Augustine and all the vampire experiments that you've been doing? Come on, Dr. Wes. Aren't you supposed to be some sort of genius? I'm sure we can come up with some creative solution for our little predicament"

"I have to say if I wasn't such a genius, I might actually think you were blackmailing me, Elena.

"Actually, my name is Katherine. Elena is my doppelgänger, and while I let you chew on that I'll admit there is something that I can't solve on my own" She pulls her tooth that fell out earlier and holds it out on the palm of her hand.

Dr. Maxfield looks into Katherine's hand "Is that a tooth?"

Katherine nods her head "It's my tooth. I think I'm dying, and I need you to save my life"


	15. Chapter 15

Dr. Wes Maxfield is looking at some X-rays on a wall-mounted light box. "So, what am I looking at here, hmm, blood clot, tumour, what?"

"I did a full workup on your blood, Katherine. It's clean"

"My hair is going grey and my teeth are falling out. I'm not sure what that suggests, but it's definitely not health" Katherine sits herself up on the bed.

Dr. Maxfield talks into his recorder "Patient is irritable. Not sure if this is a symptom or personality"

Katherine stands up, snatches the recorder from his hand and smashes it by throwing it against the wall. She stands inches from his face "Personality. Now tell me exactly what the hell is going on with me"

"You're ageing" Katherine looks shocked "You said you were turned into a vampire five hundred years ago, give or take, and now that you're human, let's just say time is catching up with you"

Katherine turns away from him, concerned "Okay. Okay. Well, how do we stop it?"

"We don't. It's just life running its course quicker than normal"

Katherines eyes widened "How much quicker?"

"If it continues at this rate, you have a few months. I'm sorry" He walks away form her and she has tears in her eyes.

Brie is walking down some stairs and on the phone "Hey, Stefan You missed our meet up again. Where are you? Look. I'm really worried. Just call me" She hangs up.

"Well, that was pathetic"

Brie looks at Nadia who is sitting at a table nearby. "Um, I'm sorry?"

"Leaving a message for a boy who, what's the American phrase. oh, is just not that into you?"

Brie crosses her arms "And who are you?"

Nadia ignores her question "I'm looking for Katherine Pierce. I heard she was living here, so I checked your room"

"What? You went into my room?"

Nadia gets impatient "Do you know where she is or not?"

"Great. Even Katherine's friends are bitches" Brie rolls her eyes.

"I'm not her friend" Nadia simply says. Katherine walks in and sees Nadia and Brie "Are you kidding me?"

Nadia turns Katherine "I need to speak with you"

Brie looks in between them "Um, how do you two know each other?"

"Katherine is my—" Nadia was about to reveal to Brie that she was Katherine's daughter but got interrupted by Katherine.

"She's my stylist" Katherine clears her throat "She cuts my hair"

"Okay. Whatever" Brie walks away.

Tessa opens the door and finds Damon. "I was hoping we could talk"

"And I was hoping you were my Chinese food. Good bye" She tries to close the door, but Damon stops it.

"You remember Amara, right , brunette, brown eyes, I'm surprisingly not in love with her?"

"What about her?"

Tessa walks in and Damon follows "Well, she took the cure, she wants to die, and we have her. For now. Silas is literally on his way to kill her. He's completely obsessed with destroying the Other Side so that he and Amara can live happily ever after in the great beyond. Man, you were right about these doppelgängers. They do always end up together. So how does it feel to say, "I told you so"?"

"Like I want to shoot fireballs at Silas and drown him in acid"

"See? That's what I thought. So, how would you feel about us making a deal? S, here's my pitch. In order to keep the Other Side in place, you need something to anchor the spell, right, something powerful, like an immortal being powerful. Now, Amara was obviously a great choice until she downed the cure" Tessa starts pouring hot water into two mugs while Damon speaks "So, would you consider someone who's dead but stuck on the Other Side a viable candidate?"

"An anchor swap?"

"Because I've got a volunteer"

"I'd be making a ghost a human toll booth between our side and the Other Side, giving her the power to interact with our physical world and the supernatural purgatory"

Damon raises his eyebrow "So what's the problem?"

"I need a massive amount of power to do a transfer spell like that. I need something to draw on. The moon's not full, I don't think there's a worthy comet for another couple billion years"

"Think hard. I have a girlfriend at home who misses her best friend and a wacky stowaway on suicide watch. It's ridiculous"

" Doppelgängers. They're powerful, mystical, naturally recurring"

"You want doppelgänger blood? I got doppelgängers coming out of my ears. How many do you want?"

Katherine is eating from a bag of pork rinds "You hate junk food. You call it toxic poison"

"Yeah? Well, I've decided to live a little. Now, may I be excused, scary vampire daughter?"

"You've been avoiding me. I don't like had a moment, you and I. There was a bond. I felt it, and then, nothing. You abandoned me all over again"

"Okay. First of all, I never abandoned you. You were snatched out of my arms at birth because my father thought I was a knocked-up, shameful slut, and second of all, it's been five hundred years. Do we really have to do this whole mother-daughter bonding thing? Estrangement is so much easier, don't you think?"

Brie walks in "Sorry to interrupt the world's weirdest lunch, but, you with the doppelgänger blood, duty calls"

Katherine rolls her eyes "Wonderful. Now that Katherine's a human and fragile, everyone thinks that they can just boss her around" Brie tries to grab her by the arm, she pulls away. "Hands off, okay? I'm going"

"We're not done"

"Oh, yes, we are" Katherine walks away. Brie smirks at Nadia and leaves.

"So, you live in this giant mansion with two doppelgängers that are destined to end up together? I swear there's a sitcom in there somewhere. So, where's the ancient boyfriend-stealing bitch?"

"This way" A moment later, Elena opens the door to the basement room. Tessa stands by her. She shows her Amara, who's tied to a chair "That'll be all" She closes the door after stepping inside "Well, if it isn't the face that launched a thousand doppelgängers. A little birdie told me you aren't enjoying your immortal life" She grabs Amara's face "two thousand years, you have nothing to say to me? No apology?"

Elena is outside the door, listening "I'm sorry. That is what you want to hear, isn't it? How I have suffered, how every moment of my life has been a living hell? It has!" Tessa smirks "My sin was falling in love, and I've learned my lesson. You win. You won. Now, please, kill me. Please. Please kill me!"

"Don't worry. When I make someone else the anchor, I will, and since you're nothing more than a non-supernatural human, you'll pass on while Silas is trapped on the Other Side, and the you and Silas, you're gonna spend eternity apart and that is gonna be kind of fantastic for me. Selfishly speaking"

Upstairs, Brie and Katherine enter the boarding house. Brie looks at Tessa "She's all yours"

"Let me guess. You must be...Who now?"

"Let's be clear. I don't care about Bonnie Bennett or the Other Side going away or Elena getting her best friend back"

"You want something. I'm shocked"

"I had the cure you created running through my veins, and when Silas sucked it out of me, I started ageing faster than normal. So basically, I'm dying, and I need you to fix me" Tessa smiles "You made the cure. Now, make something that stops the ageing. Otherwise, no blood for you"

"Fine. When the ritual's finished and Bonnie is the anchor, we'll find a way to stop you from dying"

Later, in the drawing room, Amara, Katherine and Elena stand around a small table. Tessa puts a grimoire on it. "Since Bonnie can't be here, her grimoire will have to do. Hands in, palms up" Amara extends her arm shyly but Tessa grabs her and cuts her palm with a blade that was on the table. The blood falls on the grimoire.

Katherine extends her arm. "Easy, okay? I'm fragile these days" Katherine grabs the blade while Tessa is holding it by the handle. She squeezes enough that it cuts her, she winces in pain, and the blood falls on the grimoire as well. Elena smiles and extends her hand to Tessa who just punctures her hand with the tip of the blade. She keeps smiling and looks at Katherine while the blood falls on the grimoire. She shows no signs of pain "Showoff"

" Ina pran khos suptheia jhem ai pada khey rasattan. Ina pran khos suptheia jhem ai pada khey ra sattam, ina pran khos suptheia jhem ai prada khey rassattan!" As Tessa casts the spell, the blood of all the three doppelgängers form the celtic symbol called Triquetra, meaning "trinity". All the candles light up, then they turn off. Bonnie is standing there, but it's not clear yet if the spell has worked. "No, it's not done" The wind blows strong, the lights crack with electricity and the bulbs explode.

"What is happening?"

"Silas is happening! Show yourself, bastard!" The room goes dark.

"I can't see anything. Can you?"

Damon walks in with a flashlight "Electricity's out in the whole house. What happened"

"Silas is here"

"Well, Silas owes me a fuse box. Hang on. I only count two doppelgängers. Where's crazy pants?

"And where's the other crazy?" Elena realises Silas is behind it and walks out of the room.

Meanwhile Tessa walks into the library with a lit candelabrum. "That was quite the show, Silas"

"Thank you. You haven't seen the love of my life running around here by any chance, have you?"

"Nope. Maybe you shouldn't have turned the lights off, genius" She magically throws an empty glass container in Silas' direction, but he evades it and it crashes against the wall.

"You've had two thousand years to watch us suffer. You've had your fun. Why can't you just let it go?"

"Maybe I'm just not wired that way" She moves another glass against Silas, but again, she misses.

"Honestly, I feel sorry for you. Hateful vengeance is for people without real love" She moves another glass to hit Silas, but he catches it in front of his face. He throws it back at her, but she dodges it. Silas, with magic, moves a fireplace iron tool and shoots it into Tessa's shoulder." You spent two thousand years waiting for me to die just so you could be with me, when all along the universe knew I belonged to somebody else. Doesn't that make your whole existence, like, I don't know, a total waste?"

" I loved you"

"Yeah? Well, get in line" Silas' phone rings. He answers. The scene is between Silas with Tessa in the boarding house and Stefan with Amara in the woods "Sucky timing, Stefan"

Stefan was on the phone "I disagree. I have Amara just beyond the property line. You have ten minutes to come find us"

"Well, I'm a little busy right now watching my nemesis bite it. Plus, I have no interest in saving Amara's life"

"I know that, which is why I'm gonna take her away, and I'm gonna keep her alive by any means possible while everyone else hunts you down like an animal. You now have nine minutes" Silas hangs up.

Back in the parlour, Brie walks around with a flashlight. She finds Katherine sitting on a chair by the fireplace, wincing in pain, holding her cut hand "Katherine? What are you doing?"

"Tessa's stupid non-surgical incision won't stop bleeding" Brie bites her own wrist and offers it to Katherine "Here. Heal." Katherine takes it, but she starts gagging and coughing once she starts drinking the vampire blood. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Just another tragic side effect from taking the cure. Apparently the universe just doesn't want me to heal from vampire blood. Stupid universe. Find me that damn witch so she can finish that spell!"

Elena walks into the library using a flashlight and finds Tessa with the iron poker still stuck to her shoulder. "No way. It's a flesh wound. Get up" Elena pulls the iron poker from her shoulder. "You're not done yet. Come on" She grabs Tessa and drags her with her.

Amara is tied to a tree and gagged with a cloth. Silas approaches her. "Amara" He undoes the knots. He looks at her and grabs her face. She does the same.

Amara starts sobbing "I loved you. I still do. But I can't live any longer. Please understand" They touch foreheads.

"I understand. I love you" Silas pulls out a blade from his pocket. He places it near Amara's neck. She closes her eyes waiting, but he just stands there. She opens back her eyes to see a very sad Silas, crying.

"Silas, please. I'm ready" Silas starts cutting on Amara's neck. Stefan appears out of nowhere and super speeds pushing Silas away from Amara and against a tree, holding him by the neck.

"Remember me? I remember you. I'm sorry, is it hard to breathe? Is your throat closing? Did the fear of dying start to creep in yet?" Silas uses his magic on Stefan who falls to the ground and groans in pain. Amara starts untying the ropes binding her to the tree.

"I hear every emotion is heightened for a vampire. All those memories must be eating you alive right now, Stefan. What's it like to die? I've never done it. You must have done it a thousand times over this summer"

"Stop it!"

"Stop it? I've spent two thousand years alone in a tomb. You were locked up for what? Three months? Look at you! You're a mess. The safe was the easy part, wasn't it? Being forgotten about, that's the real torture, isn't it?" Stefan sees Silas' knife lying on the ground, grabs it and throws it into Silas. Silas groans and starts falling down while Amara gets herself free.

"Silas!" Amara yells.

"Stefan and Amara are not inside" Damon walks over to Brie.

"That's because Stefan took her. You have to go find him before he gets himself killed"

Damon shakes his head "No. He's luring Silas away so he can finish this. It's typical Stefan. He'll be fine"

"He's hurting. Damon, he's not thinking clearly. Okay, Silas may have been the one that put him in that safe, but we were supposed to get him out of it. Please go find him. We can't lose him again"

Damon nods his head "Okay"

" Ina-pran-khos-suptheia-jhen-ai-pada-khey-rassattan" Tessa continues chanting her spell to replace Amara with Bonnie as the anchor to the Other Side.

Amara looks at Silas' dead body, removes the knife from his chest and points it toward her stomach. "Our eternity starts now" Amara stabs herself and gasps while Damon is watching her. He moves fast to her and catch her as she bleeds to death.

"No! Amara. No. Amara, Amara" He bites his wrist and puts it to her mouth. "Drink this. Drink. More" Amara starts coughing and throwing up the blood. "No, no, no. Okay" She falls down on the ground on her back. "No. Hey. Stay with me. Look at me, look at me. Amara, Amara. Hey! Look at me"

Amara looks weak and her eyes close, but she opens them when Damon speaks "I've been in hell for two thousand years"

"What's another five minutes, huh? Hey!"

"Let me die"

"No! Amara! Come on. Please"

"Ai pada say Ra sattam" Tessa continues doing the spell while Elena is sitting right in front of her. We move to the living room where we can see Jeremy.

Bonnie is coming from behind. "I came to say good-bye"

"What are you talking about? Tessa's doing the spell"

Bonnie was losing hope "Amara's dying, Jer"

Jeremy shakes his head "No, that's impossible...Damon–"

Stop. We don't have much time" In the drawing room, Tessa continues chanting to complete the spell while Elena watches her. "Ai pada say rasattam. Ai pada saeyrasattam. Ai pada say-ra-sattam"

Damon shakes Amara. Amara looks up through lifeless eyes "Amara. Amara! Please. Amara!" He sees that Amara is dead, and stops.

"I'm not ready to let you go" Jeremy lifts a hand to her face, and they are both stunned that they can touch " I can feel you"

"I can feel you" Elena, Brie and Caroline enter behind them.

"Bonnie?"

Bonnie turns to face them. "Please tell me this is real." Brie said, standing at the door shocked at what she could see in front of her.

Bonnie couldn't believe it worked "You guys can see me?"

Jeremy smiles "Bonnie, it worked"

"It worked" Elena, Brie and Caroline run to Bonnie and they group-hug.

"Oh my god, oh my god! And we can be roommates, 'cause we have that extra bed, and we can clear out half the closet–" Caroline said trying to contain her excitement.

Bonnie, Elena and Brie looked at each other "Caroline!"

"I'm sorry, I just can't believe you're really here!"

Bonnie smiling at the girls "I'm here. I'm back"

Tessa stands alone in the library in front of the lit fireplace. Katherine enters. "Okay, I'm ready. Let's do this"

"You want me to stop the ageing? I'd find a drugstore cream."

Katherine laughs sarcastically "Hilarious. But see, I'm not getting any younger, so spell away"

"Altering someone's lifespan is what started this whole mess in the first place. I've learned my lesson. I'm not saving your life"

"Excuse me?"

"I won. Amara's gone, and Silas is waiting for me on the Other Side"

Katherine sees a pool of blood on the floor around Tessa. Tessa drops a sharp object, her hands bloody "No. NO!" Tessa collapses "Help! Help, somebody help her, she's dying! Don't die, I need you!"

"True love prevails...the universe be damned"

"NO! No"

Bonnie is standing alone in the library smiling as she enjoys the fireplace warmth when Tessa walks up behind her "You're the anchor, now"

"Tessa. Where did you just come from?"

"I'm dead. As I pass through you, you'll feel my death. You'll feel every death. Every supernatural being that passes over to the Other Side will pass through you. Sorry. That's gonna hurt like a bitch"

Tessa touches Bonnie, disappears, and Bonnie starts screaming in pain.

Stefan looks down at Silas' body, resting his hands on the handle of a shovel. Brie stands nearby him. "So, he's dead. It's over."

Stefan nods his head "Yeah, it's over"

Brie walks closer to him "Are you okay?"

Stefan nods his head "I'm fine"

"Look at me and tell me that killing Silas worked. That you'll be okay now"

"Why is this so important to you?"

"Because I know how much he stole from you and because while you were suffering in that safe, grasping onto hope, fighting every second so you wouldn't lose your humanity. I was happy. I got everything that I wanted, Stefan, I got the summer of my dreams, I got Bonnie back. So I need to know that this worked. I need to know that it's gonna take away all your suffering. I need to know that you're gonna be okay"

Stefan turns to her "I wanted it to be you. When that safe finally opened and somebody found me...I wanted it to be you" Brie looks down, regretful.]

An hour later Brie is tidying the dorm room when Katherine enters "Hey...Umm, now that Bonnie's back–"

"Your room's full. Got it. I'll just get my stuff"

Brie steps in front of her "Thank you, for what you did today"

"Enough. I killed you once, don't forget. We still hate each other, okay?"

"Yes, you did, and yes, we do." Katherine looks around, confused.

"Where the hell is my bag?" Nadia appears in the doorway with Katherine's bag over her shoulder. "You again"

"I'm leaving, Katherine. I'm heading back to Prague, and I'd really like it if you came with me. We can go to Bulgaria, retrace our lives–"

Katherine interrupts her "I don't know what kind of twisted fantasy you have about us, but that's all it is—a fantasy. I would rather rip my own heart out than do more mother-daughter bonding with you. And I'm human now, so it wouldn't really be that easy. I don't want to know you"

Brie looks at them shocked "Mother-daughter? She's your...Oh. Wow" Brie goes back to pretending to give them privacy.

"I'm doing you a favour, Nadia. Okay? I can't be there for you. So take a good look, because you are never gonna see me again" Katherine takes her bag off of Nadia's shoulder and leaves.

Stefan shovels dirt onto Silas' body. He experiences flashbacks of when Silas revealed himself and locked Stefan in the safe, his memories of drowning, over and over, hearing his last conversation with Brie. He finally collapses, overwhelmed by the memories. "No. No. It's over. It's supposed to be over"


	16. Chapter 16

Bonnie records a video of herself on her cellphone "Hi, Mom. I know we haven't seen each other, or talked in a while...so I wanted to make you a video update. I finally finished my whirlwind summer tour, got a new 'do and, I'm in college at Whitmore, where Grams taught. And this is my dorm! It's huge, right? It even has a fireplace! I mean, what dorm has a fireplace?" The door opens and Brie, Caroline and Elena enter. "Oh, here they are. Hey, guys! Say hi to my mom!" Caroline, Brie and Elena get excited and wave to the camera. "They're planning me a welcome party. Just something, just low-key. I miss you. Please come visit when you get a chance. I'll, um, talk to you soon. Bye!" plants a kiss on the screen with her hand.

Elena mimicking Bonnie "By the way, Mom, I'm not a witch anymore, because I died and then came back from the Other Side."

Caroline joins in "Yeah, I'm this supernatural anchor that connects the two worlds together, so..."

Elena is still mimicking Bonnie "Technically, I'm a ghost, that people can still see, and touch, so..."

"Okay, so I left out a detail...or two. I'll explain when she visits. How big is this party going to be?"

"Well, let's see. Silas and Tessa are gone, and you finally aren't"

"Which equals a massive cause for celebration!"

"Which equals a massive party. Hopefully. I mean, since each of us have only made one friend in college so far"

"And given that mine went radio silent after he kissed me, and yours was last seen at a tea party for a vampire-hating secret society"

"Hmm...Augustine, right? The one who covered up your roommate's death and wants you kicked off from campus" The three girls give her a look "What? I've kept up! The Other Side is boring. What else am I supposed to do?"

Brie nods "All right. So, Augustine wants us gone. Who cares? It doesn't matter. It's not gonna happen. We're moving on with our lives, together, as functional vampires" pointing towards Bonnie" a former witch, anchor-thing. I don't know" They laugh "And we have a party"

"With Jell-O shots" Caroline cheered.

Bonnie looks at her cellphone "Oh, shoot. Um, I have to go register for classes" Brie, Caroline and Elena share a look "What?"

"Nothing" all three girls say in unison.

Bonnie turns around smiling. "Have fun registering" Brie said in a lower voice.

Caroline and Elena tease Bonnie, acting like they are making out.

"Oh, my God! Oh, my God!" Bonnie leaves.

Elena, and Brie are getting ready for the party. "I...uh...handed out all of the flyers. Oh, and Damon said he was going to try to bring Stefan"

"Funny. That sentiment implies that Damon is actually coming"

Caroline's phone rings. Elena picks it up "Hmm. Maybe a call from a mysteriously hot biology TA will help?" She hands the phone to Caroline, who proceeds to answer it. "Well look who rose from the dead"

"I need your help. Just come to my room, please"

"Okay...I'm coming, but what's going on?"

"It's a long story. My roommate's going to be home" Caroline leaves the room without telling Elena or Brie what's going on. In Jesse's dorm room, he looks around, panicked. His roommate then begins to enter the room, revealing Aaron to be his room mate.

"Jesse!" He shouted looking around for Jesse "Jess, you home?" Jesse is hiding behind the door and vamp speeds behind him, startling Aaron, who looks frightened.

"I'm sorry, man" Jesse bites hard into Aaron's neck, before Caroline enters the room and shoves Jesse away from him. Aaron falls to the ground unconscious

Caroline looks at Aaron on the floor "Oh, my God!" She looks at Aaron on the floor, before pushing Jesse against a wall. She once again peers at Aaron. Caroline turns back to Jesse "Who the hell turned you into a vampire?"

Caroline and Jesse are discussing Jesse's time with Dr. Maxfield. Aaron is still unconscious but now lying on a sofa "It was torture. I was in a cell all day at at night, he would take me out and do experiments on me"

"What kind of experiments?"

Jesse shrugs his shoulders "I don't know. He would starve me and then inject me with some weird blood. What am I supposed to tell my parents? They left me all of these messages. They're wondering where the hell I am"

"You're going to call them and tell them that you lost your phone, but you're okay. Where's Wes now?"

"I locked him in his lab after I attacked him. Honestly, the whole escape was kind of a blur. I wasn't exactly in my right mind"

"Well, you're new and you're hungry"

Brie enters the room. "Not for long. I brought our stash" Elena opens up a small cooler full of blood bags. She takes one out and hands it to Jesse. "How are you doing?"

Jesse raises his eyebrow "Our stash? You're a vampire too?"

"You say it like it's a bad thing. First rule of being a vampire is realising how awesome you are" Jesse opens the blood bag and starts drinking from it. Brie glancing over at an unconscious Aaron "How's he doing?"

"He's alright. He's alive" Brie approaches Aaron. She begins to bite her wrist to give him her blood. "Brie wait. I was thinking that Jesse could do it" Caroline turns to Jesse "You're a vampire now. You may have hurt him, but you can also heal him with your blood" Caroline grabs Jesse's arm, biting into him. She guides Jesse over to Aaron and feeds him his blood, watching as Aaron begins to awake - with his neck wound closing up.

Jesse eyes widened, looking shocked "Holy crap. That is insane"

Caroline looks at Brie "You want to teach him about compulsion?" Brie smiles at Caroline.

At Bonnie's "welcome home" party, many people have gathered in the dorm. Bonnie is chatting with Jesse. "So, your mom's like me too?"

Bonnie nods her head "Yeah, yeah. Long story. She's, uh, surviving fine. You'll be great."

"Your eyes keep scanning the room. You afraid I'm going to go vampire postal on the fourth-floor freshmen?"

Bonnie shakes her head "No. I'm sorry. I'm just looking for my, I'm not sure what he is, actually"

"Boyfriend? Friend with benefits?" Jesse suggests.

"He's my best friend's little brother. He's still in high school and I think I'm madly in love with him!" Bonnie admitted.

Brie is at a table in another part of the room. She's manning the punch bowl "You been keeping an eye on Jesse?"

Caroline nods her head "Yep. I've been teaching him the art of sublimating vampire hunger via grain alcohol"

Bonnie is socialising with people at the party, until the old woman who touched her earlier yet again catches her eye. The room goes dark, the music starts to fade, and Bonnie walks toward her "You doing okay?"

"Am I on the famous Other Side?"

Bonnie nods her head "You are. What, um...what got you here?"

"I died"

Bonnie laughs "No. I mean, what were you?"

" A witch. What are you?"

"The Anchor to the Other Side. Every supernatural being that dies passes through me"

"That doesn't seem like it would be a lot of fun for you"

"It's better than being dead. I'm so sorry. That was such a stupid thing to say"

The old woman laughs. "It's okay, honey. Dying wasn't fun, but then you felt my pain, so I guess you know that. Sorry! But, you know what? The pain's gone now, and seeing a friendly face over here certainly doesn't hurt" Bonnie and the old lady hold hands and laugh together until Jeremy makes contact with Bonnie, bringing her back into the realm of the living.

"Sorry. Pretty much had to wrestle Elena to get her to give me these" Noticing Bonnie's distance "You okay?"

Bonnie nods "Yeah. I think I am"

Jeremy smiles at her "Good. I'm gonna need you to come with me" He says grabbing her hand.

"Where are we going?"

"To register for classes."

At another area of the room, Caroline is dancing with Jesse. She caresses his hand with hers "That feels amazing"

"That's one of the other fun side effects. Everything is heightened"

"So, that feeling never goes away?"

"Nope" Jesse is about to kiss Caroline but he pulls back. "What?"

"Last time I kissed you, you got all weird, and it was awkward, and—" Caroline interrupts Jesse by grabbing him by the neck and kissing him long and hard.

Jesse is kissing Caroline's neck, then he starts kissing her but he vamps out and bites her on the lip. "Ow! You bit me" Jesse turns away from her, still vamped out, veins creeped up his red eyes. He controls it down "Hey. You okay?"

"Yeah. I just got to get out of here" Jess rushes out the room.

Later, Brie is giving Jell-O shots to the party-goers when Aaron walks in. He smiles and approaches Brie "Okay. So this isn't the lamest party that I've ever been to"

Brie turns around and looks at him "Aaron, hey. You made it"

"Barely. I think I fell asleep. I just woke up" Aaron says not actually sure what happened earlier on.

"Weird. Well, this will make it better" She offers him a Jell-O shot.

"Oh. Now I know why Wes told me to stay away from you. Cheers" They both take the shots "Mmm. You're trouble"

Caroline walks up to them both "Hey. Have you seen Jesse?"

Brie shakes her head "Nope sorry. Thought he was with you?"

"He was but then he ran off. I gotta find him" Caroline said walking off. Grabbing her phone to call Jesse.

Elena was on the phone to Damon. He was catching her up on everything he found out "Jesse feeds on...vampires?"

"That's what Doogie said, and apparently once he starts, he can't stop"

"Hey. Um, the fact that he told you this means that he's still alive, right?"

"As of now" Damon simply stated.

"Good. Please don't kill him, Damon" Damon doesn't respond. "Damon, tell me that you won't kill him"

"Okay, okay, okay. I won't kill him. Bye" They hang up. He continues to talk to Wes. "Problem is I know people like you a lot better than you realise. If I let you live, you're just gonna do it again. You're gonna turn another vampire, you're gonna do another experiment. The only way to really handle you is just to snuff you out. You're lucky I don't feel like burying a body"

Stefan cuts his wrist and offers it to Wes. He's about to drink his blood when Jesse storms in. "What the hell did you do to me?"

"Easy there, killer" Damon said trying to calm Jesse down.

"Wasn't bad enough that you locked me up and poked me full of needles? Now I want to feed on the girl I like?"

"You feed on monsters, Jesse" Jesse notices Damon's cut wrist. He smells the blood and vamps out. He goes to attack Damon but he holds him by the neck. "In case Professor Forbes forgot to tell you in your training, sweetie, I'm a lot older than you, and that means I'm a lot stronger than you"

"Actually that's not one hundred percent accurate"

Jesse vamps out even deeper and pushes Damon through the glass door and they fall on the hallway, Jesse on top of Damon and him fighting him back. In vamp-speed, Damon pushes him away, they both stand up, but Jesse is also really fast and has Damon against the wall. "What the hell did they do to you?" Jesse pulls out his fangs and with a roar, he bites Damon's neck. "Aah!" They are struggling, Jesse still attached to Damon's neck, when Elena walks in and sees them.

"Damon!" Instead of doing something, Elena stands there and tries to talk Jesse out of it "Jesse, Jesse, let go. Jesse!"

Damon grows weaker "He's gonna tear my head off. Elena, please"

Elena super speeds to grab a wooden piece from the broken door on the floor and stabs Jesse in the back at the same time as Caroline walks in.

"No! No!" Elena looks back at Caroline and kind of regrets what she's done. Jesse falls on the floor and Caroline goes to help him. Elena goes to help Damon. "No, Jesse! Jesse, come here. Hold on. Hold on. Just stay with me, please. Jesse, just stay with me, please"Caroline has Jesse's head on her lap. He dies "No" Caroline is upset and looks at Elena "What did you do?"

"He was gonna kill Damon—"

"But we promised that we would help him"

"She didn't have a choice, all right? Once he had the taste of vampire blood, there was nothing stopping him. Go ask Dr. Frankenstein. I'll go deal with him" Damon lets go of Elena and heads back into the lab. "Ugh!"

Elena turns to Caroline. "Caroline, I'm so sorry"

"Yeah. Me, too. Because the Elena that I used to know would have given Jesse a chance" Elena looks hurt.

Bonnie is trying to light some candles with a lighter, unsuccessfully. Jeremy walks in the room "I'll admit it. I miss magic"

Jeremy approaches her from behind "Step away from the candles" Bonnie puts the lighter on the table and turns around to face Jeremy. He holds her by her waist and kisses her. He grabs Bonny by her legs, wrapping them around his waist and sits her on the bed. She opens his shirt and pulls it off of him, throwing it on the floor. She stands up, kissing him, and turn him around so he's sitting in the bed. She's starting to get undressed when she looks over Jeremy's shoulder, something catching her eye.

"Oh, my God. I think Jesse's dead"

Jeremy looks around, but doesn't see anything "What?"

Bonnie lets go of Jeremy and go towards Jesse. She stands in front of him.

"I'm not ready. I don't want this" He grabs Bonnie by her arms as he passes through the Other Side, and she bends over in pain and screaming.

"Ahhh! Ohhhh!" Jeremy goes to help her.

"Bonnie, what's going on? Bonnie!" The pain goes away and she faces Jeremy. "What was that?"

"I'm the anchor to the Other Side, Jer. Every supernatural being that dies has to pass through me"

"How often does that happen?" She doesn't respond hinting that it happens a lot. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I'm back, here, touching you. We knew there would be consequences. Just kiss me" They kiss "You and me. This, this is worth it. Any consequence is worth this" Bonnie lies in bed while they keep deepening the kiss.

Elena and Caroline are cleaning up after the party "I'm sorry. I didn't mean what I said earlier. It was out of line. It just sucks, you know, cause Jesse was one of the good ones"

"I know, and I wouldn't have killed him if I could have done something. He was dangerous. I need you to believe that" Caroline doesn't respond and keeps on cleaning up " I need you to believe me when I tell you that Caroline"

"I believe you, okay? I believe you want to celebrate the fact that we can go to school and function like regular freshmen. I get that. I want that, too, but, Elena, when are you gonna figure out that the outside world is not nearly as dangerous as the person you're inviting into your own bedroom?

"Wow! Why don't you tell me how you really feel?" Elena said sarcastically.

"The day that I stop telling you is the day that we're no longer best friends, and I hope that day never comes" Caroline walks away.

Brie was outside the dorms, looking for Jesse as she thought Caroline was still looking for him. "Jesse" Brie shouts as she heads towards heads towards the woods. "Jesse? Where are you?" Brie called out as she moves branch out the way to let herself pass. She heard a twig snap before her. She jumps at the crunch. "Jesse? Is that you?" Brie said trying not to panic. She sees a dark figure hiding behind a tree, she moves closer "Jesse this isn't funny, come out from wherever your hiding" she walks around the tree to see that the dark figure has disappeared. "Okay well I am going now. Bye" she shouts as she heads back to the dorms only to be pinned against the tree. "Hey! What the hell" she said trying to fight back but her arms were pinned up above her head.

"Hello sweetheart. We need a chat" the dark figure said.

Brie recognises the voice "Klaus" he appears into the light, smiling. Brie didn't look too impressed to see him and pushes him off her "What are you doing here?" She asked straightening her top.

"Like I said. We need a chat"

"About what? What exactly do we need to talk about" Brie stated as she didn't know why Klaus was here.

"I overheard your little chat with Elijah. So you'll be happy to know that I didn't reveal our dirty little secret to him. But I've got a bone to pick with you"

Brie crosses her arms. "And what exactly would that be?"

"Well, lets quote what you said to my older sibling. 'Id rather it was with you than Klaus'"

Brie shrugged her shoulders, not a clue on what he was getting at "So? You wouldn't exactly be my first choice or anyones choice in that matter"

Klaus smirks "So you'd admit that I'd would be in the running then"

Brie shakes her head "No ones in the running Klaus. What happened between me and you was a mistake. That was it. Just a one night stand"

"You cant denied that you didn't like it. With all the moaning you were doing" he leans into her head "Begging for more"

"It was in the moment Klaus. Plus drink was involved as well so I blame that"

Klaus smirks again "Cant blame it on the drink love. Actions are actions when sober or drunk. You could of stopped it but you didn't"

Brie sighs "I really don't have time for this. I got to get back" she said pushing passed him but he grabbed her arm on the way passed and pulls her against him.

"Brianna. I like you" Brie eyes widened as she didn't expect those words to come out his mouth "Whatever happened in the past with us is in the past. Why don't we start again"

Brie was still in shock but had to compose herself "That's the problem with feelings Klaus. You will always get hurt" Brie said pulling away from him and walks back to dorm leaving Klaus looking upset.

It's daytime. Katherine is writing down in a diary with a slightly irritated look on her face. "Dear diary, so here I am alive. Stefan saved me from killing myself. Now he's got me on suicide watch. He says it would be therapeutic for me to write down my feelings about the fact that I'm dying and there's nothing I can do about it. Deep thoughts, mortal coil, blah blah blah. My hand's tired." She tears the page out from the diary, crushes it and throws it behind her. Stefan is pacing in front of her in the same room. "What kind of sentimental idiot writes down everything they feel? Is this what the prophecy meant when it said that all the doppelgängers were drawn together like magnets? Because if it is, I want my money back"

"I'm just trying to make sure you don't slit your wrists"

"Well, this whole neurotic granny vibe, doesn't exactly make me want to live. Do you really have nothing better to do than stand there all day and watch me write in cursive?"

"I'm trying to make sure you don't kill yourself"

"And how are you going to do that? You know, since you're still having your little panic attacks?"

"I'm fine" He said trying to convince him.

Katherine nods, not believing him "Yeah. Of course. You are the picture of mental health, Stefan, after being locked for three months in a safe, at the bottom of a quarry"

"I am dealing with it"

"I know. I mean, I heard you "dealing with it" earlier today in the library. It sounded like you freaked out and broke a chair, maybe even two. How are you supposed to help me stay alive if you can't even help yourself?"

Stefan: So does this mean you want to live?

"No. It means I can't work with people who can't give me one hundred percent" There is a knock at the door "And so, I may have called a backup"

Stefan opens the door to find Brie standing outside, smiling.

"What are you doing here?" Stefan asked opening the door wider.

"I'm your sober sponsor, and I heard that you needed help"

Stefan raises his eyebrow "Really?"

"And I got something dropped off something for us to use" She moves aside to reveal the Pierce & Franklin safe that Stefan was locked in. Stefan stares at it. "Don't worry. I sanitised it" Brie and Stefan stand in front of the safe, which is now lying on the library's floor.

"I spent three months drowning in this thing. What the hell were you thinking?"

"I was thinking it's time for you to deal with the source of your PTSD"

"Aren't you a drama major? What do you know about PTSD?"

Brie smiles "Well, I know that you tried to deal with it your own way and you failed, so now" she opens the safe door "we're gonna try it my way" Stefan stares at the open safe and then at Brie.

Stefan is locked inside the safe, looking around nervously. "Brie! Do you even know what you're doing?"

"Yes. Well, it's in my textbook" Brie is standing near the safe, flipping through the pages of a textbook entitled "Clinical and Practical To Conquering Fear" "Let me find it"

Katherine is watching her with crossed arms, a curious but mischievous expression on her face "Did you ever, um...ahem...you know...?" She looks at her meaningfully as she starts to pace toward her.

Brie looks confused "No, I don't"

"Oh, come on, you know" Katherine suddenly smirks at her "Have you?"

"Oh, my god! Katherine, seriously?" Brie scoffs in disbelief.

Katherine smiles at Brie "That wasn't exactly a yes...or a no."

"We are friends" Brie quickly defended.

"Your loss. He's great in bed" Katherine winks at her.

Brie groans "Oh, God. I am so not listening to this" She looks back at her textbook, then suddenly points to something on the page. "Here! Okay, Stefan. Prolonged Exposure Therapy. "In vivo exposure gradually introduces elements of prior trauma, e.g. physical objects, comma, certain aspects of duress, comma"

Inside the safe, Stefan is starting to freak out. Outside, an annoyed Katherine closes the book.

Katherine walks ahead from her "Okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Got it, got it, got it" Inside the safe, Stefan is turning his head left and right and panting. "Stop talking. The words that are coming out of your mouth are giving me a headache"

"Brie! Brie" Stefan muffled in the safe.

"I'm just trying to help Stefan understand what I'm doing"

"Acting like a school teacher isn't going to make him feel any better"

Stefan gets no response and starts to hit the sides of the safe in a effort to escape, looking anxious and scared. He starts to sweat profusely. Stefan breathes heavily "I can't breathe. I can't" Stefan continues to gasp for air, before quickly passing out. Outside the safe, Katherine and Brie don't notice what's happened to Stefan.

"You are right about one thing. He needs to get over the root of his problem. 'Cause right now the score is safe - one, Stefan - zero. So how do you help the guy that always comes to the rescue? Stefan's the hero. That's who he is at his core. He can't always come through for himself, but he can always come through for everyone else" Looks thoughtful, then smiles at Brie "I've got an idea"

Stefan is rousing in the safe "So, try not to be mad at me" Stefan blinks up his eyes groggily, seeing the roof of the safe in front of him. He groans and is slightly disorientated, turning his head in confusion "I got in here when you were unconscious, and then Brie locked us inside. It was the only way"

He finally notices Katherine beside him, and immediately starts hitting the roof of the safe in a panic "Let me out of here! Brianna"

Brie is standing outside the safe "I know it's a little extreme, but the baby steps approach wasn't working"

Kathrine agrees with her "See? That's why I need you not to get mad at me because when you get mad, you get anxious and violent and you rip people's heads off, but I'm gonna help you fix that"

Stefan ignores her, looking around in a frenzy and desperately hits the safe for it to open. "Brie, get me out of here before I hurt her!"

"That's the whole point, Stefan. You need to get over your PSTD triggers, okay? Or else you will kill me"

Stefan breathes heavily "You're risking your life"

Katherine looks unbothered "I'm already dying, you idiot. You're the one who wants to keep me alive. It's my turn to help you now"

Stefan was still breathing heavily "I can't be in here. Please"

Katherine leans closer, smiling a little "You're Stefan Salvatore. Suck it up" She moves away and lays on her back next to him.

Stefan was in an anxious daze "No, no, no"

Brie is still standing near the safe, looking at curiously Brie looks overly cheerful "How's it going in there?"

Stefan was breathing heavily "I feel like I'm dying"

"So I've been using this time to think. I think there is actually a little bit of truth to this doppelgänger prophecy. I think you're still in love with Elena. I think you're miserable over the fact that she chose Damon over you" She flicks her fingers on Stefan's chest "and that you wanna get out of this one-horse town and as far away from their happiness as possible, and yet somehow, you keep finding excuses to stay in Mystic Falls. I think I'm just that latest excuse"

Stefan grabs Katherine by the neck, choking her "I'm going to kill you"

Katherine was struggling to breath "Good. Yeah. Get it all out, Stefan. I think this is healthy," she gasps for air as Stefan tightens his grip on her throat "although don't forget you loved me before you hated me"

"Any reason why you chose to have this conversation with me locked in a safe?"

Katherine nods "Yes! So that I can show you that the safe isn't the problem"

"How could you say that to me?"

"The problem is you're not facing you're real issues. The death you felt in the safe, the pain of dying over and over again? It's easier for you to focus on the physical pain than the emotional heartbreak of Elena leaving you. Your problem is you're not in touch with the reality of the moment, so let's bring you back to the present, shall we?" Moves her head to side when Stefan starts to let go slowly, leaving her neck bare to him. "In this moment, are you going to feed on me or are you gonna save my life?" Stefan's extremely close to her neck, his fangs coming out as he fights the urge to feed on her. Katherine doesn't move, but breathes heavily. Stefan hesitates, the veins around his eyes disappearing as he tries to stop himself. "Fight it, Stefan, fight it!I'm here. I'm here" She grabs his face with both her hands as she looks into his eyes "I'm with you. We're together"

Stefan is calming down now, but Katherine still has her hands on her face. She starts to draw closer to him, getting dangerously close to kissing Stefan. He doesn't pull away, but before anything could happen between them, Brie unlocks the safe. Katherine quickly pulls apart from Stefan and looks away "It was so quiet, I got worried"

Stefan stands up to get out of the safe and offers his hand to help pull Katherine out. She takes it, but quickly withdraws it the moment she stands up and pushes her hair back nervously. Stefan walks over towards Brie but is still staring at Katherine with a confused expression on his face. Finally looking back to a worried Brie, he gives her a reassuring smile.

Brie smiles brightly "See?" She hits Stefan's shoulders playfully, then hugs him "You made it out alive!" Stefan doesn't fully respond to his friend's hug and is instead staring at Katherine behind her. They two stare at each other differently than they did before.

Brie is alone, trying to lift the safe to take it out of the house. She struggles, and stands up in frustration. "A little help here! I mean, I know I'm a vampire, but this thing is really heavy!" She looks around as she gets no response "Stefan? Hello!"

In another room, Stefan's by himself as he moves a broken chair out of the way near the fireplace. He picks up leg of the chair, then looks up to see Katherine watching him with crossed arms. "You know, for the record, I, uh, I only broke one of these" He holds up the leg of the chair.

"It was an ugly chair" She starts to walk up to him "You're better off without it"

Stefan nods, then Katherine bends over to pick up another leg of the broken chair "So I guess you were right all along. It was easier for me to focus on my physical pain than the break-up. I need to move on"

"So you admit it. I do know what I'm doing" She smirks at him as she walks closer.

"To be honest with you, I never know exactly what you're doing, Katherine"

Katherine smiles, amused "Well, Stefan, sometimes...I don't either" She hands him the broken leg. Stefan looks at her for a moment, then takes the leg and throws it across the room with the rest of the broken chair. There's silence, and Katherine is still standing in front of him. She hesitates, but moves even closer to Stefan to the point they're only inches apart "Like right now" She starts to stare at his lips for a moment while Stefan looks a little confused at her statement, then starts to caress his chest "for example"

Stefan doesn't pull away, instead looking at her hand on his chest and then back at her. They stare at each as Katherine slowly moves closer to him, stopping to make sure Stefan wouldn't push her away. When he starts to drift closer to her, Katherine proceeds and the two kiss each other softly. After a moment, she pulls away and stares at him questioningly. Immediately, Stefan pulls her back and kisses her more firmly, causing the moment to intensify into a passionate make-up session.

The scene then shifts to Brie, who is sitting on top of the safe with her phone to her ear to leave a message. "Hey, Elena. I'm probably going to stay at my Mom's tonight. I think I am officially homesick. So I'll let you know when I'm" She breaks off, looking confused as her vampire hearing picks up sounds of intense kissing and gasps of air. She hears a faint moan in the other room as Brie looks shocked and horrified "Oh. My. God. Call me as soon as you get this!"


	17. Chapter 17

In the Salvatore House, Damon pours out shots. Matt and Jeremy are sitting near him "Rule number one: Name the worst thing Katherine Pierce has ever done. Rule number two: Toast to the glory of her impending death. Rule number three: If you come across something that's worse, which you will, repeat rules one and two. She pretended to be buried in a tomb for 145 years, while I waited for her lying ass" Damon picks up a shot and drinks it "Wait...Does that beat pretending to be Elena and kissing me on the front porch of your old house?"

Jeremy shakes his head "I don't think so"

"I don't think so either. Damn" Damon takes another shot "Quarterback, go"

Matt starts thinking "Uh.."

Damon: Think on that" He then passes the shot glass to Jeremy "Little Gilbert"

" She fed me to Silas and I died" Jeremy takes a shot "Then, she made me crash my car into a pole and left me for dead...again" Jeremy takes another shot.

Matt finally thinks of one "My sister's dead because of her"

"Yes she is...Because I wouldn't have even been in town to turn Vicki into a murderous vampire if I wasn't trying to get Katherine out of a tomb she wasn't in" Damon hands a shot to both Jeremy and Matt "Group shot!"

The girls enter the room. "Seriously?"

"Elena...We're were just...uh.." Matt stuttered.

"I know what you're doing" Elena looks towards Jeremy "You're cut off" The room is silent and awkward. Brie picks up the bottle of liquor. "If anyone is drinking to Katherine's last days, it's going to be me" Elena takes a shot. "She impersonated me...repeatedly" She takes a shot "Made Aunt Jenna stab herself in the stomach and she cut off Uncle John's fingers"

"He might have deserved that" Jeremy joked.

"My Grams died trying to close a tomb she wasn't in"

"Tyler's werewolf curse got triggered because of her" Caroline bitterly said.

"Klaus followed her to Mystic Falls and because of that, we lost Jenna"

"And Alaric" Various members of the group stand around and take shots.

Matt realises they were running out of drink "We're going to need more booze"

"She tried to kill me at least twice"

"She did kill me" Caroline starts to think "Although I'm weirdly better off"

Upstairs, Katherine and Stefan are talking "They're talking about me, aren't they?" Katherine asks as she hears everyone talking about her.

Stefan shrugs her shoulder "They're reminiscing"

"It's fine. I'm sure I deserve everything they're saying" Stefan smiles at her. "Does my hand look wrinkled to you?"

Stefan inspects her hands "It looks fine"

"If I start to sag, anywhere, you take a knife and you jam it into my carotid artery immediately. Okay?" She notices Stefan was looking at her weirdly "What?"

"You know, even on your deathbed, you're vain"

"Hey. If a girl's gotta go, it may as well be glamorous, right?" Looking at her hand "That's definitely an age spot"

"It's not an age spot, Katherine" Stefan stops her by grabbing ahold of her hand.

Katherine looks at him, confused "You're being too nice to me. Why"

"You're dying. I think I can muster up a bit of compassion"

Meanwhile, downstairs, Matt is looking for alcohol in the cellar. As he's getting ready to head back upstairs, Nadia appears behind him "Nadia?" She approaches him slowly, putting her index finger on his lips, saying "shh" before she knocks him unconscious.

Back upstairs. "Rumour has it, she burnt down the entire city of Atlanta once" Damon added.

Stefan enters from upstairs "All right. Knock it off or take it somewhere else. You guys are being insensitive"

"Come on, Stefan. Don't let the sight of a frail, human Elena-look-alike cloud your memories of the manipulative psycho that she is" Damon holds out a full shot glass to Stefan. Stefan hesitates, then takes it.

"In 1864, Katherine moved into my home, she compelled me to love her, seduced my brother, fed us full of vampire blood and then started a war with the town that got us killed"

"Exactly. Bottoms up" Damon drinks his shot.

"But, centuries before that, she was just an innocent girl that was shunned by her family. So for five hundred years, she lied and manipulated and did whatever she had to do to survive. And she did. She's a survivor, right? So that's the girl I will drink to today. Cheers" Stefan drinks his shot.

"Please. One night of hot sex with her and you're brainwashed?"

"What?!" Caroline, Elena and Bonnie said in unison

Brie's eyes widened as she forgot to tell them "Oh my...I forgot to tell you"

Stefan: Bottle's empty...I should–

"That's why you never send a busboy to do a man's job" Damon stands up and sees Nadia standing behind Stefan "Nadia...the devil's spawn. Brie, did you remember to tell Elena that?" Brie smacks her forehead.

"I think my mind just exploded. Okay. Katherine's upstairs" Elena drinks her shot.

"Actually, I'm here to see all of you. I found a way to save my mother and I need some help"

"Uh-uh. No way. Even my biased brother knows I will kick his ass from here to Kentucky if he helps Katherine Pierce live one more day on this Earth. No volunteers" Damon looks around at the others to make sure they comply.

"I figured as much, which is why I found that old safe your brother spent the summer drowning in and buried it on this property with your friend Matt inside of it. Oh, without this" Nadia places Matt's Gilbert ring on the table.

Brie, Bonnie and Jeremy search the grounds of the Salvatore estate, looking for the place where Nadia buried Matt in the safe.

"I don't see any freshly dug ground"

Bonnie looks about "This property is massive"

"Hello? Is no one going to comment on the fact that Stefan slept with Katherine? I mean, that's kind of a big deal"

Jeremy shakes his head "It doesn't matter. We've all slept with our fair share of bad choices"

"No offence taken" Brie said, as she noticed he was talking about her sleeping with Klaus.

"You think us sleeping together was a bad choice" Bonnie said, crossing her arms.

Jeremy looks at her "No, I am not meaning you.

Brie stops walking. "Bonnie Bennett! Wait, did you two..." Bonnie and Jeremy say nothing, though Bonnie's expression confirms Brie's suspicions "And you didn't tell me?!"

"I didn't think I was obligated"

"Of course you were obligated! You're my best friend! Oh my god. Does Elena know that her little brother…" Bonnie and Jeremy interrupt Brie before she can finish.

Bonnie and Jeremy in unison "No."

Brie smiles widely. "Oh, scandalous sex! Even better! God, how am I the only person on this planet that isn't having scandalous sex?"

"Why don't we split up and think about that?"

"Good idea. We'll cover more ground that way" Bonnie and Jeremy start to go off in one direction, while Brie stands back.

In the woods on the Salvatore property, Brie is searching for the place Nadia buried the safe with Matt inside of it "Matt! Matt, we're coming for you" Suddenly, Brie stops dead in her tracks. Immediately after, we see that she has ran into Klaus in the woods.

"Hello, Caroline"

"Sorry. Matt's buried alive. No time to chat" Brie super-speeds away from Klaus, who smirks and follows after her.

"Are you not the least bit curious as to why I'm here?"

"If its about the other night. No. And I literally just whooshed at the sight of your face, so no"

"Damon informed me that Katerina Petrova made a tragic turn"

"So, you're here to gloat over her corpse-to-be? Delight in the closure of five hundred years of revenge. Great. I'm even less interested" Brie super-speeds away once more. Again, Klaus follows her. Brie senses Klaus was behind her "You know what. I suggest that you learn from his mistake and let Katherine die in peace. Dying sucks enough as it is...no need to rub anyone's nose in it" Brie speeds away again. Only Klaus doesn't follow her this time.

"Matt! MATT!" Brie takes a moment to use her super-hearing abilities to listen for Matt's screams.

Instead of hearing him, Klaus interrupts her listening. Brie groans and turns around "You can't do this to me. You can't just show up while my friend is missing and is in danger"

"You know, while you've been vamping off in all the wrong directions, I heard Matt's distant and desperate screams"

"Where?"

"Don't worry love, I've got it covered. Trust me, He'll be quite happy with his rescuer" Elsewhere on the Salvatore estate, we see the safe has been dug up. Matt finally emerges from the safe to see a familiar face, Rebekah Mikaelson.

"I'm gone not three months and look at the trouble your in" They both exchange smiles with one another.

Brie and Klaus are walking through the woods together "So, the quarterback has been saved. What now?"

"Don't you have a dying girl you need to go punish for her sins?"

"I do, but I won't, for you"

Brie was looking unconvinced "So you came here to back off when I tell you to?"

Klaus shakes his head "No. I came all the way to Mystic Falls to gloat over a corpse-to-be, as you so poetically put it, but I will leave - minus the gloating - in return for one, small thing"

"And what is that?"

"I want your confession"

"My confession? I didn't do anything. Confession about what?"

"Me. As soon as we're done here, I'm going to walk away and I'm never coming back. You'll never again have to look me in the eye and cover our connection with hostility or revulsion. And you'll never have to loathe the darkest parts of yourself that care for me, in spite of all I've done. i will be gone and you will be free. I just want you to be honest with me"

"I'm in college. I'm building a life for myself. I have plans; and a future; and things that I want and none of those things involve you. Okay. None of them"

Klaus looks down " I see"

Brie shakes her head "No you don't. Yes, I do cover our connection with hostility, 'cause yes, I hate myself for the truth. So if you promise to walk away...like you said, and never come back. Then yes...I will be honest with you. I will be honest with you about what I want"

"I will walk away. and I will never come back. I promise" Brie slowly approaches Klaus. As she comes within inches of his face.

"Good" She begins kissing him slowly at first. And then, they begin to kiss very passionately. Klaus vamp speeds Brie against a tree and they start undressing one another.


	18. Chapter 18

'Pregnant' she read on the pregnancy test she just took. Brie was sitting on her bed looking at the test in shock. She couldn't believe it. She was a vampire. Vampires don't conceive she thought. She was a pregnant college student. Great, everyone is going to know. She was going to get bigger and bigger as time passed. She needed to needed to find him. She needed to speak to him. She needed to tell Klaus Mikaelson that she was pregnant with his child.

Brie quickly packed a few things as she was only planning on having a short visit to New Orleans and then come back to Mystic Falls and have a semi normal life again. She laughed at the thought. Being a vampire wasn't normal. Pregnancy is more normal than being a vampire.

Caroline entered the dorm and seen Brie packing a suitcase "Eh going somewhere?"

"Uh yeah" she pauses, to think of an excuse "Yeah I am going to visit my gran for a few days. She isn't well"

Caroline gave her a compassionate look "Aww I am sorry to hear that. I hope she's okay. When you see her, send her my love"

Brie smiled softly, she hated lying to Caroline "Will do. Do you mind covering me for the next few days? I don't want the teachers getting suspicious"

"Yeah don't worry about it Brie. Ive got your back" Caroline smiled as she went on her phone.

"Eh well I am going to leave. Got a long journey a head" Brie said dragging her suitcase towards the door.

"Why don't you vamp speed there?" Caroline said turning around.

"Id rather just drive. Enjoy the views on the way up" Brie made up.

Caroline nodded, suspiciously "Okay well, have a safe journey there. Again send her my love"

"Will do" Brie smiled as the closed the dorm door. She sighed in relief. She didn't want to answer too many questions from other people. As she had questions of her own to be answered.

Brie was sitting in a bar called Rousseau's after arriving in New Orleans. She was still searching for Elijah and Klaus. Even though she didn't know where about they were. Her last encounter with Klaus, he vowed to leave to go back to New Orleans and never return. A blonde bartender approached her.

"So what can I get you?" The blonde smiled.

"Just an orange juice please" Brie smiled back.

"Coming to a bar to drink orange juice? Are you a recovering alcoholic?"

Brie laughed as the bartenders assumption "Yeah something like that" Brie said, going along with it.

"Im Brie by the way"

"Cami" she smiled, as she poured some orange juice in a glass "So what brings you to the Big Easy?"

"Uh, just visiting. Might stay here for a while. Go touring"

"I just moved here myself. What brought you here?"

"Well, my" she paused as she didn't know what to call Klaus "My friend is here somewhere. But I have no idea where to even start looking"

"Sounds like you in a bit of a pickle"

"Listen, Cami, I'm looking for someone who might shed some light on where my friend might be? His name is Klaus Mikaelson. Any idea where I might find him?"

Cami shakes her head "No. But I know someone who might"

Brie was still sitting on the stool at the bar. Waiting for Cami to come back. She heard the bar door opened and had a glance to see who walked in and seen stood there was three witches.

"Are you Brianna Colace?" One of them asked as the other two witches stood behind her.

"Uh yeah. Who's asking?" Brie said, still sitting down.

"Get her" One of the commanded as the other two made their way towards Brie who stood up, panicking. Both took each of her arms and pulled her along with Brie trying to fight back. The other witch had pulled out a syringe with some sort of liquid.

Bries eyes widened "No. Please don't" Brie begged as the witch inserted the liquid into Brie's neck, which made Brie's vision go dark.

A few hours later; Elijah is standing in front of "Rousseau's". Sophie Deveraux leaves the restaurant through a backdoor. She goes to a little table with burning candles on it. A dog barks anywhere. Sophie starts crying and talking to her dead sister.

"Oh, you got me into this, Jane. Give me the strength to finish it" The door snaps shut. Sophie turns around. Suddenly, two vampires jump into the alley "The doors work, you know"

"You're doing magic?"

Sophie starts raising her voice "I'm praying to my dead sister. Go ahead, pay your respects"

"Don't make this a thing, Sophie. The hybrid was looking for Jane-Anne. Marcel wants to know why"

"I'd say ask her yourself, but I guess you can't, seeing as Marcel killed her"

One of the vampires speeds up and grabs Sophie. But suddenly, he disappears. Sophie looks around, afraid; the second Vampire is confused. Something falls to the ground. It's the heart of the other vampire. The second vampire looks up and then turns around to attack Sophie, but before he reaches her, he is also grabbed by a dark shadow. The vampire gets thrown at the wall, a dagger stuck in his chest. Elijah stands near Sophie, looking at the dead vampire "I'm Elijah. You heard of me?"

Sophie starts nodding "Yes"

"So, why don't you tell me what business your family has with my brother?"

Sophie and Elijah are at the cemetery. Sophie opens the squeaking gate and enters the cemetery. Elijah stops in front of the entry. Sophie turns around "This is sacred ground, which means vampires have to be invited in. But, since I'm desperate... Come on in"

Elijah is able to enter the cemetery now "We can talk freely here"

"Then I suggest you start talking. What did your sister want with Niklaus?"

"Isn't it obvious? We have a vampire problem, and we need help. Marcel has an army backing him. The witches have been trying to fight back. We haven't had much luck, until my sister Jane-Anne met a girl, a werewolf passing through the quarter from a small town in Virginia. She had a special connection to your brother"

"What kind of connection?"

"Apparently, they spent some time together. One thing led to another and now this special vampire girl – she's pregnant. And the father of the child she's carrying is your brother Klaus"

Elijah looks beyond shocked "That's impossible"

"Nothing is impossible, especially not when it comes to your brother. Think about it – they call him the hybrid, right?" She raises her voice and turns her head "Bring her out!"

Three witches come out, standing in formation around Brie. Elijah watches her with interest, while Brie seems a bit confused and really irritated. "Elijah" She notices him and then turns her head towards Sophie Who the hell are you?"

Elijah moves closer to her "Give us a moment, please"

Elijah and Brie are inside a burial vault, lit by numerous candles on the walls around them "Brie what are you doing here?"

"I was looking for you and Klaus, and when the witches told me you'd be here. I didn't think id be taken hostage"

Elijah moves closer to her and examines her "You aren't hurt are you?" He said caressing her cheek.

Brie smiles and holds his hand "I am fine Elijah. Stop worrying"

"I am worried Brianna. You are pregnant with my brother's baby. I have no idea how he will react. In anger? I don't want him hurting you" he said, protectively.

Brie sighs "I don't know Elijah. But he's going to find out soon" she says then starts mumbling to herself "This might be the new start he wants with me and him"

"So, have they been holding you here against your will?"

"They lured me out to of Rousseau's and grabbed me. And they did all these weird witchy tests. Not that I understand how this could happen. I mean, vampires are dead. They can't have children!"

"Klaus is a Hybrid remember. This is how it's possible. I wonder if perhaps this baby might be a way for my brother to find happiness. A way to save him from himself"

Sophie enters the vault "I'm glad you feel that way, because we need your help"

Elijah turns around to look at Sophie "What, precisely, is it that you want and what does it have to do with Brianna"

"We want to run Marcel and his vampires out of town. Klaus is the key. Everything Marcel knows about being a vampire, he learned from Klaus. Marcel trusts him, looks up to him, and he won't see the betrayal coming"

"Yes, well, as I'm sure you're aware, my brother Niklaus doesn't like to be told what to do"

"That's why I brought you here. Marcel drove the werewolves out of town decades ago. Do you really think he's going to welcome a hybrid baby to the neighbourhood? Convince Klaus to help us, and no one has to know about the newest member of the Original family"

"That sounds remarkably like blackmail"

"Like I said, I'm desperate"

"Well, then, I have my work cut out for me, don't I?"

Klaus stands on a balcony enjoying the view of New Orleans. Why did he leave this place? He wondered. Elijah appears. Klaus didn't look at Elijah but knew he was behind him "Evening. Elijah"

"Niklaus" Elijah greeted.

"What an entirely unwelcome surprise" Klaus says rolling his eyes.

"And what an entirely unsurprising welcome. Come with me" Elijah says turning around. Walking away hoping Klaus would follow.

Klaus turns around " I'm not going anywhere, not until I find out who is conspiring against me"

Elijah smiles and turn to his brother "I believe I just found that out for you" Klaus raises his eyebrow, wanting to find out who it was.

Elijah and Klaus are back at the Cemetery. Klaus stops as Elijah was about to enter but senses Klaus has stopped. Elijah turns around "Are you coming?"

"Why are we here? You better not be wasting my time Elijah!" Klaus spat, get angrier.

"Like I said before Brother, if you want to know who's against you then come" Elijah enters the Cemetery and joins the witches and Brie.

Klaus walks in and stops next to Elijah and looks about the cemetery "So why exactly am I here?" Klaus questions, looking for answers from the witches. He glances at Brie, looking shocked to see her standing there "Brie"

"Klaus. I came here to speak to you but got a little interrupted" Brie said hinting at the witches.

He looks down at her hands and see's that she's handcuffed "What is the meaning of this?" He glared at Sophie.

"Klaus, your little friend here is pregnant" Sophie pauses as she let him process what she was telling him "With your baby"

Klaus became speechless, he didn't know what to say and decides to not believe it "No. It's impossible"

"I said the same thing myself" Elijah said, agreeing with him.

"This is a lie. You are all lying. Vampires cannot procreate"

"But werewolves can. Magic made you a vampire, but you were born a werewolf. You're the Original hybrid, the first of your kind. And this pregnancy is one of nature's loopholes"

"My sister gave her life to perform the spell she needed to confirm this pregnancy. Because of Jane-Anne's sacrifice, the lives of this girl and her baby are now controlled by us. We can keep them save. Or we can kill them. If you don't help us take down Marcel, so help me, Brie won't live long enough to see her first maternity dress"

Brie looks shocked as Sophie was blackmailing them "Wait, what?" She didn't want to die.

"Enough of this. If you want Marcel dead, he's dead. I'll do it myself"

Sophie shakes her head "No. We can't, not yet. We have a clear plan that we need to follow, and there are rules"

Elijah looks at Klaus, awaiting his reaction "How dare you command me, threaten me, with what you wrongfully perceive to be my weaknesses. This is a pathetic deception. I won't hear any more lies"

"Niklaus!... Listen" Klaus can hear the heartbeat of the baby. He looks at Brie, then at his brother and the witches. He looks at Brie again before he walks out the cemetery.

Elijah looks at the witches "No one touches the Brianna. I'll fix this. Sophie nods.

Klaus is running through a street. Elijah catches up with him "Niklaus"

Klaus: It's a trick, Elijah.

Elijah shakes his head "No, brother. It's gift. It's your chance – it's our chance"

Klaus raises his eyebrow "To what?"

"To start over. Take back everything we lost, everything that was taken from us. Niklaus, our own parents came to despise us. Our family was ruined – we were ruined. And since then, all that you have ever wanted – all that we have ever wanted was a family"

"I will not be manipulated" Klaus turns away but Elijah vamp-speeds over to block his way.

"So they're manipulating you. So what? With them, Brianna and her child – your child – live"

"I'm gonna kill every last one of them" He shoves Elijah and turns away, but once again Elijah vampire-speeds over and blocks him.

"And then what? Then you return to Mystic Falls to resume your life as the hated one, as the evil hybrid? Is it so important to you that people quake with fear at the sound of your name?"

"People quake with fear because I have the power to make them afraid. What will this child offer me? Will it guarantee me power?"

"Family is power, Niklaus. Love, loyalty – that's power. This is what we swore to one another a thousand years ago, before life tore away what little humanity you had left, before ego, before anger, before paranoia created in this person before me someone I can barely even recognise as my own brother. This is us, the Original family, and we remain together, always and forever. I am asking you to stay here. I will help you and I will stand by you. I will be your brother. We will build a home here together. So save Brianna. Save your child" Elijah has placed a hand on Klaus' shoulder. Klaus brings his own hand to Elijah's neck in a brotherly gesture.

"No" he whispered and then walks away.

The witches are in the mausoleum, talking "Marcel and his vampires are out of control. Something had to be done"

"And the solution is to bring in more vampires?"

Sophie: These aren't just any vampires, Agnes. They're the Originals.

Agnes: What makes you think you can control the hybrid?

Elijah appears, leaning on the wall "She can't. I'm not entirely certain that I can, either. But now that your coven has drawn his ire, I have a question: What prevents my brother from murdering you instead of cooperating?"

Sophie takes a needle and shows it to the Original. She sticks the needle into her hand.

"Ow!" Brie yells in pain. Elijah looks at her. There is a drop of blood on her hand, exactly at the same point where Sophie hurt herself "What the hell!?"

"The spell my sister performed, the one that got her killed? It didn't just confirm the pregnancy. It linked me to Brie. So anything that happens to me, happens to her, which means her life is in my hands. Klaus may not care about his own child, but it's very clear what it already means to you. If I have to hurt Brie to ensure that I have your attention, I will"

Elijah is slightly amused. "You would dare threaten an Original?"

"I have nothing to lose" The grin disappears from Elijah's face "You have until midnight to get Klaus to change his mind"

Loud music plays. A courtyard party takes place. Vampires – including Marcel – are dancing and drinking. Klaus appears. Elijah stands above on a balcony, observing the scene.

"Hey, man, where'd you run off to? Someone put you in a mood. What can I do?"

"What you can do is you can tell me what this thing is that you have with the witches"

"We're back to that"

Klaus nods his head "Yeah, we're back to that"

"You know I owe you everything I got, but I'm afraid I have to draw the line on this one. This is my business. I control the witches in my town. Let's just leave it at that"

"Your town?" Klaus challenged him.

Marcel smiles proudly "Damn straight"

Klaus chuckles sarcastically "That's funny, because when I left 100 years ago, you were just a pathetic little scrapper still trembling from the lashes of the whips of those who would keep you down, and now look at you – master of your domain, prince of the city" The music stops and the crowd watches them " I'd like to know how"

"Why? Jealous? Hey, man, I get it. Three hundred years ago, you helped build a backwater penal colony into something. You started it, but then you left. Actually, you ran from it. I saw it through. Look around. Vampires rule this city now. I got rid of the werewolves. I even found a way to shut down the witches. The blood never stops flowing and the party never ends. You wanna pass on through? You wanna stay a while? Great. What's mine is yours, but it is mine. My home, my family, my rules"

"And if someone breaks those rules?"

"They die. Mercy is for the weak. You taught me that, too. And I'm not the prince of the Quarter, friend. I'm the king! Show me some respect"

Klaus takes this all in for a few moments, then he vamp-speeds towards one of Marcel's men, bites him viciously in the neck, then drops him. Klaus speaks with blood dripping from his lips "Your friend will be dead by the weekend, which means I've broken one of your rules. And yet I cannot be killed. I am immortal. Who has the power now, friend?" Klaus faces off with Marcel, who says nothing. After a moment Klaus smiles around at the crowd then turns and leaves.

Elijah talks to Rebekah on the phone. "He's willing to give up everything"

Rebekah was in the bath, drinking some wine as she was on the phone to her elder brother "Come on, Elijah, does that really surprise you?"

"I already see it. He's spiralling. He's lashing out in blind rage. You know, the last time I saw him like this it lasted 200 years"

Rebekah rolled her eyes as she stood up from the bath and got out hugging a towel around her "Then leave him to his temper tantrum and come home. With any luck this misadventure will allow us a reprieve from all of his insanity"

"He was so close. When he heard the baby's heartbeat, I could see it in his eyes. He... he wanted... he could almost taste happiness. And now his temper has destroyed it. Even if I was to return him to sanity, he just lost Marcel's trust. So, I'm almost out of time to get Brianna"

Rebekah got changed into her pjs and started combing a brush through her damp hair "Get her? Have you lost her mind? Are we running an orphanage now?"

"Say what you will about Niklaus, but on my life I'm not letting anything happen to that baby or Brianna for that matter"

The witches are still in the mausoleum. The church clock starts tolling "His time is up. What're you gonna do now, Sophie?"

Sophie stands up "I'm gonna do what I said was gonna do"

Sabine: What, kill the girl? Kill yourself?

"Klaus does not care about the child" Elijah appears.

"I do" He comes into the mausoleum, carrying the body of Jane-Anne "And I bring proof of my intent to help you: the body of your fallen friend, which I procured from Marcel himself"

"Jane-Anne"

"May she be granted peace. Klaus will agree to your terms. I just need a little more time"

"You had your time. It's passed"

"For now, accept the deal. Brianna and the child remain unharmed, or Klaus will kill you all" He walks away, but then turns around again "And I will help him"

Klaus holds a bottle in his hand, drinking from it. He hears Elijah arrive, and speaks to him without turning "Have I not made clear my desire to be left alone?"

"Oh, you demand to be left alone at least once a decade. Your words have ceased to have impact"

Klaus throws the bottle against the floor, where it bursts "Why must you keep harping on about the baby? That child will never be born"

Elijah vampire-speeds up to Klaus, holding his hand around his brother's throat "You will not walk away from this!" Elijah growled, threatening

"Let. Me. Go"

"I WILL NOT!" Elijah throws Klaus against the floor, then heaves him up again, not letting off of him.

"Don't make me say it again"

"I will not let go. I will never let go" Klaus grabs Elijah and hurls him against an iron rod fence. Elijah stands up fast and takes one of the iron rods. Then he walks towards Klaus, holding the rod in his hand "Even if I have to spend eternity saving you from your own stubborn, petulant, vile self" Elijah vampire-speeds up and hits Klaus with the iron rod "If I have to beat you as father used to beat you, to remind you of your own humanity" Elijah hits Klaus again "to care about anything..."

He tries to hit Klaus again, but this time Klaus is faster. Klaus grabs the iron rod and now he is the one hitting his brother. Klaus hurls Elijah a few meters back, where he falls on the ground and stays down. Klaus breathes heavily. He lets the iron rod fall to the ground and walks a few steps towards Elijah, who is still lying on the ground "You're beyond pathetic, Elijah"

"Well who is more pathetic? The one who sees hope to make his family whole, or the coward who only see the world through his own fear?"

"I haven't cared about anything for centuries. Why on earth do you?" Klaus lied as he cared about Brie but was just scared to take on responsibility and was scared incase the baby makes him go soft.

"Because I failed you. Because the first time our father laid a hand on you, I should have struck him dead. I made a promise to you: always, forever, family above all"

Klaus starts laughing. Then he reaches his hand to his brother. Elijah takes Klaus's hand and stands up. "You are a sentimental fool"

"Perhaps. But I've lasted this long in spite of it, haven't I?" Elijah walks away. Klaus is still standing there, thinking.

Klaus is sitting on a bench. Elijah takes a seat beside his was reading in bed in Mystic Falls, when her phone begins vibrating. It's Elijah, but she ignores it. The witches with Sophie Deveraux, who performs final rites around Jane-Anne's body, now clad in white.

"The bond of family blesses us with an immeasurable power. But we also must accept what comes with it. It gives us a responsibility to love without condition, without apology. We can never waver from the power of that bond, even if it's tested. The bond nourishes us, gives us strength. Without that power, we are nothing"

"This town was my home once, and in my absence, Marcel has gotten everything that I ever wanted. Power, loyalty, family. I made him in my image, and he has bettered me. I want what he has. I want it back. I wanna be king" Klaus says looking down at the ground, not making eye contact with Elijah.

"So is that all this child means to you? A grab for power?"

Klaus looks up at him "What does it mean to you?"

"I think this child could offer you the one thing that you've never believed you had"

"And what's that?" Klaus questioned his brother.

"The unconditional love of family" They are looking at each other.

Klaus looks back down and makes a decision "Tell Sophie Deveraux we have a deal"

Brie and Elijah are in a huge, white house. Brie pulls a sheet off of a crib, coughing because of the dust.

Elijah walks into the room and looks concerned "Are you alright?"

Brie turns around and nods "Just dust. This place is ancient"

"Yes, it should serve our purposes. It's a sanctuary from our business in the Quarter. Right now, you are the most important person in this family. You need a good home. So I'm curious in all this time, has anyone asked you how you feel?"

"About having a miracle baby with a psychotic one maybe two night stand"

Elijah raises his eyebrow as she had only told him about the first time "About being a mother"

Brie shrugs her shoulders "I don't really know how I feel about being a mother because I never really had a good one. My mother abandoned me at 16 after my father had died"

Elijah walks closer to her "I will always protect you. You have my word on that"

Klaus appears "And noble Elijah always keeps his word"

Elijah turns to face Klaus "Is it done?"

"As a matter of fact, yes. Your underhanded deal worked quite well. Marcel was only too happy to accept my blood even as he accepted my heartfelt apologies. His man, Thierry, yet lives and I remain a welcome guest in the French Quarter. My only concern now is this coven of impudent witches"

"I believe them to be honourable. They did release Brie to me. Although, they haven't been entirely forthcoming. Marcel obviously has something that they need. They don't want him dead. There must be a reason why"

Elijah and Klaus are talking in their house "In addition to the secret weapon he uses to control the witches, Marcel has assembled a small army of vampires. Working together, we can destroy them from the inside"

" And what of Rebekah? Has she stopped her pouting long enough to join the fun?"

"She has made her disinterest quite clear"

"One too many times daggered and shoved in a box, I gather? Or perhaps she doesn't share your unwavering belief that I can be saved"

"Rebekah may surprise us yet. After all, we all swore the same vow"

"I hope she stays far away. Because in my desire to reclaim this town, to steal from Marcel that which he holds most dear, I have realised one massive vulnerability. One weakness that Marcel could exploit"

"And what is that?" Elijah questioned.

"You" Klaus daggers Elijah with the silver dagger. Elijah groans. "Forgive me, my brother. There is no power in love. Mercy makes you weak. Family makes you weak. If I am going to win this war, I have to do it alone"


	19. Chapter 19

Rebekah parks in front of the Mikaelson mansion, leaving a message on her phone as she gets out. Brie, inside, hears something and walks warily down the stairs.

"Elijah, if not answering your phone is part of your clever plan to get me back to this godforsaken city, then well done. I'm here, and I'm worried. Now pick up before I kick in your bloody door" Rebekah walks up the front steps and opens the door. She walks in as Brie comes down the stairs, wielding a fire iron.

"Brianna. Nice to see you again" Rebekah smiles, seeming a little sarcastic.

Brie, smiling wryly, puts down the iron poker. Rebekah looks down at her stomach, not seeing any bump "I was expecting to see some kind of supernatural, miracle baby bump. Guess you're not showing yet"

Brie nods, as she thought to herself "No shit sherlock"

Rebekah looks about the room "Where's Elijah?"

Brie shrugs her shoulder "Beats me. He's long gone"

"What do you mean, "long gone"?"

"Well, one minute he was here making epic promises about protecting me in this predicament that a bottle of scotch and some bad decisions got me into he was all poetic about how we're family and then Klaus told me he bailed"

"Elijah is not just any vampire, and he doesn't break promises. Which means Niklaus has done something dastardly and Klaus-like. Klaus! Get out here and tell me what you've done with our brother, you narcissistic, back-stabbing wanker"

Klaus opens a pair of doors and enters the room "Enough with all the shouting. Little sister, I should have known. I assume the six dead vampires were your doing?"

"They were very rude" Rebekah calmly explaining what happened, and flashbacks to her at a bar, impaling vampires violently with a pool stick "Trying to victimise a poor, innocent girl just trying to find her way to the Quarter. So sorry, were they friends of yours? Oh, that's right, you don't have any friends"

Klaus smiles "I do have friends. I have Marcel. You remember him, don't you? Yes, of course you do. He fancies himself the 'King of the Quarter' now, and he has these rules about killing vampires. It'll be fun to see what sort of punishment he comes up with for you"

"I don't care about Marcel or his rules. Elijah doesn't welch on deals. What did you do to him?"

Klaus shrugs his shoulders "Perhaps he's on holiday... or taking a long autumn nap upstairs. Well, go on. Take a look around. You remember this house as well as I"

Rebekah, who had gotten up to leave the room, turns back to Klaus "I remember everything. Now where is Elijah?" Klaus' phone starts buzzing. He checks it, stands and moves to leave "Where are you going?"

"It appears the night is not quite over, yet. I'm off for another drink with Marcel"

"Elijah told me about your plan to take apart Marcel's empire piece by piece. I don't remember it involving you two drinking New Orleans dry together"

"I know you don't have many friends, Rebekah, but what some friends do when they get together is they drink. And when they drink, they tell secrets. Marcel has somehow found a way to control the entirety of witches in the Quarter, and I aim to uncover the 'how' so I might take it for myself. Finding Elijah didn't make my to-do list today" Klaus turns and walks to the door, but pauses before he leaves "Oh, and welcome home, little sister"

The door shuts behind him and Rebekah turns on the spot, contemplating what he's said. She sees Brie sitting on a landing above.

"I'm going to search this house inch by inch until I find what my evil brother has done to my good one. You're helping"

The girls walk down a spiral staircase. "The governor had lots of secret rooms. I'll show you his favourite" They arrive in a dusty, cobwebbed cellar room. Brie spies the coffins that Klaus keeps his siblings daggered in.

Brie looks at Rebekah "You think Klaus killed him?"

"Obviously we cant be killed but that doesn't stop Klaus from finding ways to torture us. He has a set of mystical silver daggers. One in the heart sends us into a deep slumber. Klaus gets his jollies from keeping us in a box, until he decides to pull the dagger out. That must be what he's done to Elijah. This one's mine"

Brie looks at the coffins, as her eyes widened. He seemed like a disturbed Mr Grey. Another side she didn't think he had "He keeps your coffin on standby"

Rebekah shakes her head and looks at her coffin, giving her shivers as she remember the time she has suffered in there "He likes to be prepared for when his family members inevitably disappoint him. Elijah's isn't here – he must've stashed him elsewhere"

Brie got a funny feeling in her stomach. She never had thought Klaus was like that. But then again she was stupid to think other wise "I feel sick. And it's not because I am pregnant"

Rebekah looks at her with a smile on her face "Welcome to the family, love. You should've run the second you realised Elijah was gone"

"Yeah, well, the witches have put some sort of hex on me. As long as I'm carrying this baby, I can't leave New Orleans. If I do, they kill me. Even though now I wish I had never of came here. Should of left him a voicemail"

Rebekah chuckles "Do think that would keep you safe. If its not the witches hunting you down, it will be Klaus who will" She goes back to the conversation they were having before they back tracked "Well, knowing Klaus, he's planning a box for you the second you give birth to whatever's cooking in your tum. I'm leaving as soon as I find Elijah. Being daggered in a box for decades sucks, trust me. You'd best find a way to break that hex and run" Rebekah goes off to continue her search, leaving Brie to consider what she's said.

Brie was left sitting in the mansion as Rebekah was out searching for Elijah and Klaus is nowhere to be seen. She was starting to regret coming to New Orleans and just really wanted to go home. She didn't want to stay there much longer. She looked down at her stomach and rubbed it as she looked back up. She wasn't ready to be a mother. She was still in college. She wanted to achieve stuff in life before even starting a family. Even though it was very rare for a vampire to conceive but she had the adoption route if she ever wanted to be a mother. She sighed and grabbed her jacket and walked out the mansion. Brie walks up to a shop front right when the shopkeeper appears to be leaving "Hey, hey!"

The shopkeeper turned around as she locked the doors "We're closed, sorry"

"I just need one teeny, tiny little herb. Please?" She said sounding desperate.

Katie sighs "Which herb?"

"Crushed verbena flower"

"Vervain? That's a poison. You're gonna kill a vampire?"

Brie looked a little shocked as Katie knew about vampires "Just a little one"

"Give me a minute" Katie goes back into the shop. After a few seconds she comes back, holding a phial in her hand "Cut it with jimson weed. A few drops in some hot tea – that should do it"

Brie hands her some money "Here"

Katie refuses it as Brie doesn't question it and walks away. Katie picks up her phone and calls someone "Hey, wanna gain points? Tell Marcel there's a new Vampire in the Quarter"

Brie sits on a bench, dripping the poison into a cup. "Come on, Brianna. One upset stomach and all this stupid drama is ancient history" Brie say to herself as lifts the cup toward her face, closes her eyes, then opens them and lowers the cup again without drinking it. She sighs, then hears a branch snap nearby. She stands up, looking around, then turns to find a vampire right in front of her.

"Dumb move, coming into the Quarter. You're coming with me, wolf"

" I have had it up to here with vampires telling me what to do" She throws the cup's contents into his face, and he roars in pain. She spins around, only to be faced with two more vampires. Suddenly Rebekah shows up, snaps the neck of one vampire and rips the heart out of the back of the other.

Rebekah looked down at the dead vampires "Now, that is no way to treat a pregnant lady. I do hate bad manners" She throws the heart on the ground. Brie gapes at her, still in shock.

Klaus throws a final body onto a small pile in the front courtyard while he berates Rebekah and Brie for their behaviour.

"This is why I told you never to leave the house. Outside vampires are banned in the Quarter. I had a plan, and your little nighttime stroll put it all in peril! Leave him!"

Rebekah had started walking toward the pile of bodies, one of them was still alive but at Klaus' last command, she stops. "You've done enough, don't you think? Leaving a trail of bodies like a road map to my door?"

"Don't give me that crap about having a plan. You've had all the time in the world to execute a plan, and no one's seen you do a damn thing! Elijah made a deal to protect your child, so that it could save you from your selfish, rotten self. But you obviously don't give a damn about the child or Elijah, because what have you done to honour it?"

"I have done everything. Let me spell it out for you, shall I? From the day I arrived, Marcel hasn't trusted me. From Day One, he's had his vampires ingest toxic vervain which, as you know, little sister, protects them from my mind control" Klaus grabs the vampire that's still alive from the pile. "And this one. I'm gonna drain him of vervain, compel him to believe his mates found religion and moved to Utah, so that he can explain to Marcel why he lost three more vampires tonight" He drags the vampire into the house; Rebekah and Brie follow him inside "Does anyone have any more questions? No? Good, because I have a question. Brie, what were you doing in the bloody French Quarter in the first place? Answer me!"

Brie was sitting on the stairs again and she stood up "You wanna know what I was doing? I was buying poison, so I could put your little baby out of its misery" Klaus runs at her with vampire speed and pins her to the door by the neck. She gasps for air.

"Nik! NIK!" Rebekah runs at Klaus with vampire speed, pushes him off of Brie and grabs him by the shoulders. Brie coughs and splutters, massaging her throat "Keep your hands off her! She is pregnant, for God's sake! All of this bluster about not wanting the child, and then the second she tells you she's ready to get rid of it? It's okay to care. It's okay to want something. That's all Elijah was trying to do, all he's ever wanted for you. All we've ever wanted"

Klaus, calmed down but reeling from being confronted with his feelings, sits down on the stairs. Rebekah sits beside him. "I gave Elijah to Marcel" He said grabbing both the girls attentions "Marcel was nervous. It's bad enough one Original returned to town, but two? His crew was getting antsy. He wanted Elijah gone, so... I gave him a peace offering"

"You bartered our brother?"

"I have a plan. Gain Marcel's trust, dismantle his empire, honour Elijah's wish that that baby be born. I am executing that plan the only way I know how. If you don't like it, there's the door. See if I care" Klaus rises and leaves the room. Rebekah leans back, her work cut out for her.

Later, Rebekah is sitting on the back porch of the house when Brie comes out and joins her. "I know we haven't really seen eye to eye in the past... but thanks. I appreciate what you did in there"

"Us girls have got to look out for each other"

"What is it with you two? You say you hate him, but the way you deal with him, it's so clear. Even when you hate him, you still love him"

"I guess when you spend a thousand years with someone, deciding to quit them is like losing a part of yourself. But sometimes the hate is just... so powerful. Emil wasn't the only boyfriend of mine that Klaus killed. He did it again, and again, and every time I found someone to care about. He just kept doing it until, finally, I stopped falling in love. He said he was protecting me from my mistakes, that no one was ever good enough for his little sister. Until one day, someone was"

"If you know Marcel has Elijah, why don't you just get him back yourself?"

"Because, if I cross my brother, there's still a coffin downstairs with my name on it" Brie eyes Rebekah for a moment, then reaches down and retrieves something wrapped in cloth. She unfolds it and reveals the two silver daggers "Oh, my god"

"I found them under your coffin. So, if a couple of antique steak knives were the only things stopping you from getting Elijah back, then here you go" Brie offers the daggers to Rebekah, who takes them in slight awe. Finally, she smiles, and Brie smiles back.

Marcel brings a bottle of wine to a table and sits with Cami "I sent everyone home for the night. I am your humble host"

Cami: Oh... okay. Extra points for flair.

"And the night's just started. What made you decide to come?"

"Everyone deserves a chance"

Suddenly the doors of the restaurant swing wide open and Rebekah bursts inside. "You lied to me. Where's my brother?"

Marcel smiles at her "Hello to you, too. Cami, Rebekah – Rebekah, Cami"

Rebekah looks at Cami then at Marcel, smiling "I see you still have a thing for blondes" Rebekah grabs Marcel by the neck and vampire speeds him across the room, slamming him against the wall "Tell me where Elijah is

Cami stands up "What the hell is going on?" She says, confused as to why Rebekah was attacking Marcel.

"Tell me where he is or I will kill you!"

Marcel merely looks at Rebekah; there is a brief flash of the time they had passionately kissed, as though Marcel has sent the memory to her deliberately "No, you won't"

Slowly, Rebekah backs off, releasing him "Perhaps you're right" After a moment's silence, Rebekah vamp-speeds over to Cami and pins her by the throat against the wall "But I will kill herL

Marcel walks closer to them "Let her go. You won. I'll take you to see Elijah"

Rebekah waits another moment, then releases Cami, who gasps for air. "What the hell are you people?" Marcel gently takes her by the shoulders.

"Shh, it's okay" He starts compelling her "Go home, forget all this, and just know that I will make it up to you. I promise" He takes his attention to Rebekah "You wanna see Elijah? Fine. Follow me" Rebekah follows him out of the restaurant, leaving Cami alone.

Marcel opens the door to an attic and enters, Rebekah following behind him. She sees Elijah's coffin, and moves to enter the room but cannot – she is magically barred entry "Invite me in"

"Gotta ask the lady of the house. Davina, come on out, sweetheart" Davina enters the room and stands at Marcel's side " Invite her in"

Davina glares at Rebekah "Come in" Rebekah enters, strides over to Elijah's coffin and opens it to find her brother inside. She grabs the dagger and starts to pull it out. "I wouldn't do that"

Rebekah, magically compelled, shoves the dagger back in "Who the hell are you?"

"Davina" she simply stated then looks at Marcel "She's an old one, isn't she?"

Marcel nods his head "Yeah. Rebekah is an Original, which means she can't be killed"

"She doesn't seem very nice"

"She can be... but she hasn't been very nice to me tonight"

Davina looks at Rebekah "Then I'm afraid it's time for you to leave" Without moving a muscle, Davina magically propels Rebekah across the room, slamming her against walls several times before sending her through a door, which shuts behind her.

Later, Rebekah awakens on the same bed as she did in 1887, Marcel standing at the end of it "Welcome back, Rebekah. You were out for quite a while."

Rebekah looks confused, as she sits up on the bed "Where am I? How'd I get here?"

" You upset Davina. I'm glad you two finally got to meet. Now you know what you're dealing with"

Rebekah looks around the room and then realises "Is this my old room?"

"Oh, it's mine now. Just like this town is mine, Davina's mine, and Elijah is mine until I feel like giving him back. What was once yours, what was once your brother's – it's now mine" He turns and walks toward the door, turning back to Rebekah to say one last thing. "And don't ever touch Cami again"

It's morning; Klaus enters Brie's room while she's still sleeping. He watches her for a moment, then reaches into her bag, withdrawing from it the vial of Vervain. He opens it and lifts it to his nose to smell, when Brie speaks "I didn't use it"

Klaus looked shocked as he thought she was still sleeping "You're awake"

"I could barely sleep all night. This house is like a freaking swamp sauna" She sits up in bed while Klaus stares out the window.

"What stopped you? You could have been free of all of this... of me"

"Yeah, well when I was fighting off those vampires all I know is push came to shove, and I realised I wouldn't let anyone hurt it" After gently placing a hand on Brie's shoulder, Klaus backs away and moves to leave "This whole thing with Marcel – the deal you have with the witches, trying to take him down, take what's his. Rebekah told me that you two once loved each other like family. What happened?"

"I made Marcel everything that he is. I treated him like a son. And when my father chased me and my family from New Orleans a hundred years ago, we believed Marcel was killed, we each mourned him, in our own way. Yet, when I returned, I found not only had he survived, he had thrived. Instead of seeking us out, instead of sticking together as one, he made a choice to take everything my family had built and make it his own. Now, he is living in our home, he is sleeping in our beds. That 'M' he stamps everywhere... it's not for 'Marcel'. It's for 'Mikaelson'. I want it all back, and if I have to push him out to get it, then that's exactly what I'll do. I'll have someone see to the air conditioning" Klaus leaves Brie's room and hurries down the stairs, only to meet Rebekah as she enters the front door.

"You were right. The girl, Cami – she's the key. Marcel likes her, and because of that I got to see the secret weapon of his that you've been going on about"

"Well, don't stand on ceremony. What is it?"

"It's not a 'what', it's a 'who'. A girl, Davina. She can't be more than sixteen, and I have never felt power like that. She's not just any witch, she's something I've never seen before, something beyond powerful, and now because of you she has Elijah. Who knows what she could do to him"

"Where is she?"

Rebekah stops to think, then looks confounded "That clever bitch. I don't know. She wiped my memory of the location. Marcel possesses a weapon bigger and more powerful than an Original, and you handed our brother to him! How many times will Elijah forgive you? How long until his hope for your redemption finally dies?"

Klaus starts to get angry "I did what I had to do! Marcel took our home!"

"And our home is worthless without family. I am finding Elijah whatever it takes. Are you going to help me?"

Klaus nods his head "Whatever it takes"

Marcel enters the attic; Davina is drawing at an easel. She turns when Marcel draws near "I'm sorry about that unpleasantness"

"She doesn't scare me. None of them do" Davina said, bravely.

Marcel shakes his head "I didn't think they would, honey. But, the thing is, it seems like they're here to stay"

Davina scoffs "They don't belong here"

"Might be kinda tough to convince them of that... which is why I need to ask you for a favour. I'm gonna need you to figure out how we kill an Original"


	20. Chapter 20

Brie is sitting cross-legged on the floor in Elijah's bedroom as she reads one of Elijah's thick, leather-bound journals. In a flashback to the previous evening, Klaus can be seen pouring gasoline over the bodies of the night walkers Rebekah killed to protect Brie, which are piled up in the front yard of the Mikaelson Mansion. Brie stops reading and walks downstairs with the journal in her hands to find Rebekah and Klaus talking in the foyer.

Rebekah pouts "I cannot believe you disposed of those vampires without me. You know how I love to set things on fire!"

Klaus smirks "Was I supposed to leave them in the front yard to rot? Besides, they were my responsibility. They attacked the helpless pregnant girl who's carrying my child!"

Rebekah rolls her eye "Oh, I am so moved by your new-found sense of fatherly duties towards Brie carrying your hybrid bun in her oven."

Brie joins them in the foyer "Well the pregnant girl would like to know what the plan is"

Klaus thinks about it "Well, that depends what plan you mean, love, my plan for global domination, or Rebekah's plan to find love in a cruel, cruel world?"

Rebekah takes a pencil from the desk beside her and throws it in Klaus' direction. Klaus catches it easily before it can embed itself in his face.

Brie sighs "The plan to rescue Elijah. You know, the good brother? The one who is now in the possession of your mortal enemy after you stabbed him in the back?"

Klaus smirks "In the front, if we're being specific"

Brie rolls her eyes "You two said that you would get him back. So is there a plan, or what?"

"Okay. Well, firstly, Marcel is not my mortal enemy, he's my friend. Albeit one who is unaware that I'm trying to sabotage his hold over the supernatural community of the French Quarter, but a friend nonetheless. And secondly, I daggered Elijah in order to gain Marcel's trust. If I had known he would place my brother in the hands of a particularly nasty teenage witch, I certainly would have weighed my options a bit differently. And thirdly" He turns to Rebekah and gestures for her to speak "Sister, please"

Rebekah pipes up "And thirdly, the plan, as you have demanded, is for Niklaus to simply ask Marcel for Elijah back"

"That's... that's not the whole plan, is it?" Brie asked, incredulously.

Rebekah scoffs "Please! Klaus may be a miserable excuse for a sibling, but there is none more diabolical"

"And that's only the Plan A, love! There's always a Plan B"

Brie raises her eyebrow "And what's Plan B?"

Klaus smiles "War"

Later on, Brie walks around the pool outside. She was missing her friends, back in Mystic Falls. She definitely was out of the loop now as she has been out of town for a few days now. She hated not telling her friends she was pregnant. They all still think she was visiting her grandmas. She needed to go back soon. She wants to go home. She hears a twig snap nearby as her thoughts get interrupted then walks toward the sound to see a wolf staring at her. A voice behind her startles her and she whirls around.

Sabine was standing behind her, who was smiling "You're not supposed to be out here"

Brie turns around and looks suspicious "Who are you?"

Sabine moves closer to her "Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I'm Sabine. We met. I'm one of Sophie's friends. Sophie just asked me to come keep you company while everyone's out" She looks at the wolf curiously and gestures toward it, causing Brie to glance back at the wolf "You know, it's drawn to you. The child you're carrying is part vampire, part werewolf. You and Klaus made something special"

Brie sighs "You sound like Elijah. He thinks this baby is going to make us one big, happy family, but now he's gone and I don't even know what... "it" is"

Sabine makes a suggestion "You know, I can do something about that, if you want. I mean, find out if it's a boy or girl"

Brie looks confused "I thought you couldn't do witchy stuff around here"

Sabine shakes her head "It's not magic, just an old trick my grandmother taught me. Come on. You have to be a little curious"

Brie pauses for a moment and then goes into the kitchen with Sabine following her. She hesitates before laying on the kitchen counter as Sabine holds a crystal hanging on a chain over Brie's pregnant belly.

Sabine smiles "I think it's a girl" The crystal starts to swing in the other direction, and she frowns "No... wait"

Brie looks in horror "Wait what? Please tell me I'm not having a mini-Klaus" The crystal suddenly glows with a bright light, which causes Sabine to drop it. All of a sudden, her eyes roll back in her head, and she begins to chant in a low voice

"Hoc est infantima malom. Nos omnia perditu el eam"

After he encounter with Sabine, Brie is sitting at a desk in one of the studies, where she's typing on a laptop surrounded by old texts. Klaus pauses at the doorway before walking in to talk to her "I thought you might like to know, Elijah is returning to us"

Brie looks up from her laptop and nods "Congratulations. I guess being diabolical has its perks"

"What is it about my brother that always inspires such instant admiration?

Brie hesitates "He has been kind to me. He has always been there if ice been in trouble or needed someone to speak to me. He cares about me and I care about him" Klaus takes this in. Klaus turns to leave, but stops when Brie calls out to him, though he doesn't turn around "Hey, I learned something today. I think it's a girl" Brie smiles, and after a moment, Klaus smiles as well. He then leaves Hayley to her research. Later on Brie is still in the study on the laptop. She is typing the words Sabine said during her vision into an online language translator, but none of the languages she chooses gets any results.

The next morning, Brie wakes up to a message to Caroline. She picks up the phone and it reads "Hey Brie, not spoke to you in a few days. Hope you and your gran are okay. A bit worried as I haven't heard from you in a while. Hope you come back soon. Missing you" Brie smiles at the message but always gets a guilty feeling in her stomach. She hated keeping secrets from her friends. Especially her best friend Caroline. She will go back home soon, when she knows Elijah is back safe.

She replies with "Hey Care. Me and my gran are fine. Sorry being MIA. Have been a bit preoccupied at the moment. I will be back home soon. Definitely need to catch me up on everything that Ive missed. Missing you too and looking forward to being back in Mystic Falls" she sent the message and looked her phone. She went downstairs to get some breakfast. She got down to the bottom of the stairs to see Agnes speaking to Rebekah in the living room area. She raises her eyebrow and she walks in, receiving smiles from both Rebekah and Agnes. Brie sits on the couch, flipping through a book while she talks to Agnes. Over at the coffee table, Rebekah sits and types on a laptop. "I told you Agnes, I feel great!"

"You are overdue for a checkup" Agnes says, ensuring her.

"What am I gonna do? Pop into the Quarter for a quick ultrasound? A pregnant vampire escorted by a witch? Nothing to see here!"

Rebekah looks mildly jealous" A lot of women would kill to have a child. It strikes me as odd that you're not taking better care of yours"

"I know a doctor out in the Bayou, off the beaten path. Now, I took the liberty of making an appointment for you. Tonight, after-hours, just us. Vampires will never get word of it"

Brie thinks for a moment and rolls her eyes in reluctant agreement "Okay, fine. Bayou-baby-doctor it is." Agnes and Brie leave the room. Cut to Rebekah: she is looking at satellite photos of the French Quarter. It's dark, and Agnes drives Brie up to the obstetrician in the Bayou in her car. Owls hoot in the background "This is the doctor's office?"

Agnes smiles "Dr. Paige is only this far out because Marcel's men kept terrorising her patients. Go! She won't bite!"

Brie nervously exits the car and walks toward the clinic. Once she's out of earshot, Agnes calls someone on her cell phone. Agnes frowns "Send them in now and tell them to do it quickly"

Inside, Dr. Paige is giving Brie an ultrasound, and we can hear the fetal heartbeat. The doctor smiles at her "Your baby's heart rate is perfect"

Brie smiles in return "I knew it. She's a tough one, like her mom"

Dr. Paige chuckles and hands her a tissue to wipe the ultrasound gel off of her abdomen, which she does. As Brie sits up, she puts on her sweater "We're pretty much done here, right?" Brie gets a text from Rebekah, which reads "Where are you?"

"Your blood pressure is a bit high, I've got something for it"

Brie watches as she walks away, to where Agnes is waiting in the next room. She texts "Bayou clinic with doctor" to Rebekah. Suddenly, a wolf howls loudly, startling Brie. She gets up to look out the window and sees a car's headlights approaching, which makes her suspicious and anxious. Dr. Paige returns with her medication. "Ahh, you know, I'm-I'm actually not that good with pills"

Dr. Paige looks nervous "Heh, neither am I, truth be told" Dr. Paige sets the medicine cup on the table and starts preparing something. A group of intimidating-looking men walk into the clinic and whisper something unintelligible to Agnes. Brie turns around to see Dr. Paige preparing a syringe, and the doctor lunges at Brie to inject her with it. Brie grabs her arm and pushes it away from her, head butts the doctor to disorient her, and then stabs the syringe into the doctor's neck, causing her to pass out onto the floor. When the men in the lobby see what happened, they run toward the door, but Brie manages to shut and lock it before they can enter. One of the men rattles the doorknob as Brie struggles to open the window to escape. When they finally get in, Brie has already escaped and runs away from the clinic.

The men who raided the clinic are still looking for Brie in the woods behind the clinic, and they pass her, not seeing that she's hiding behind a tree. She runs up to them and kicks the first man she encounters in the gut before knocking him to the ground. She jumps and kicks the second man down as well as she snaps his neck. A third man tries to attack her, but she grabs a knife from his hands and cuts his neck with it as she spins in the air. When a fourth lunges toward her, she grabs his shotgun and knocks him to the ground, and possibly kills him as she kicks him and beats him in the head with the butt of the gun.

A large, burly man descends upon her, but before Brie can react, his neck is snapped from behind by Rebekah, who has just arrived. "Have to say, I'm impressed"

"How did you find me?" Brie asked Rebekah.

Rebekah holds her phone up "Your text got me halfway, vamping here did the rest. Who are they?" She asked, putting her phone in her pocket.

"Witches. Warlocks. Whatever" Brie guesses.

Rebekah notices more men with flashlights in the distance heading toward the "There're more of them. Run!" Brie reluctantly heeds her warning. Rebekah mutters to herself "If I had a dollar for every mess my family has got me into..." Rebekah is shot in the heart with two arrows, which temporarily neutralise her and she falls to the ground.

Brie sees her go down and watches in horror "Rebekah!" Brie is shot in the shoulder with an arrow, which seems to be coated in something that causes her to pass out and fall to the ground as well.

Later, Rebekah awakens in the woods of the Bayou after passing out from being shot in the heart with an arrow. She pulls out the arrows with a groan of pain and sits up to find five or more bodies surrounding her, all of which look as though they were mauled. Rebekah looks around in horror when she doesn't see Brie "What the hell?" She gasps for breath as she pulls herself to her feet "Brie. BRIE" Rebekah is walking around and looking for clues as to where Brie could be. She sees the doctor passed out on the floor next to the used syringe. Suddenly, Klaus appears "Wow! You abandoned your quest for power to help out your family! Having an off day?"

"Who took her, Rebekah?" Klaus says, calmly.

Rebekah shrugs her shoulders "I don't know"

"What do you mean, you don't know? And who killed her attackers?" Klaus asked, getting a little impatient.

"I don't know! I had an arrow in my heart. If it wasn't Brie who killed them, then" She is cut off by wolves howling in the distance. Klaus looks at her and raises his eyebrows. Rebekah walks off as she goes searches for Brie. Klaus follows her outside, speechless. When they exit the building, they see Brie stumbling toward them, her clothes tattered and dirty. She looks dazed and exhausted as the two Mikaelsons run toward her.

"Brianna! What happened? Tell me what happened

"I can't remember" Brie says, groggily.

Klaus anxiously examines Brie for any wound "You've completely healed. There's not a scratch on you"

"One of the perks of being a vampire, remember?"

Klaus shakes his head "No, not that fast"

Rebekah runs over to Brie and wraps an arm around her protectively "Leave her alone!" She thinks for a moment "It's the baby. The vampire blood, Klaus' vampire blood in your system. It can heal any wound" Klaus turns and stares at her incredulously " Your own child healed you" Klaus smiles at the thought as Rebekah turns the subject back to Brie "How did you escape? You were outnumbered, unarmed? Those men were ripped to shreds!"

Brie says quietly "I think it was the wolf. I think it's trying to protect me"

Klaus angrily points to Brie "The witches were supposed to protect you! When I get my hands on Sophie Deveraux"

Brie shakes her head "It wasn't Sophie. It was Agnes"

"Fine! Agnes, Sophie, it's all the same to me! I'll slaughter the lot of them!"

Rebekah pipes in "Not if Elijah gets there first"

Brie looks up as she hears Elijah's name "Elijah? Did you find him?"

Rebekah nods "He's been in touch, and he has a plan. All he asks is that we take care of you"

Brie smiles "Hey, so can we go home now? I'd really like to sleep for a few days" Brie stands up, and Klaus nods with a smile. When she goes to walk, her knees buckle as she stumbles and starts to fall, but Klaus zooms over to catch her before she hits the ground and scoops her up into a bridal-carry in his arms.

"Ooh, I've got you, love. I've got you"Rebekah and Klaus walk toward their car, Brie still in Klaus' arms.

Davina is in her bedroom. She was getting fed up being stuck in the room, she turns sadly toward her wind chimes in her window, and uses her magic to telekinetically make them play a for her. She is startled when she hears a floorboard creak, and turns toward the sound. She walks toward Elijah's coffin when she suddenly hears Elijah's voice as he stands behind her, looking grey from not feeding for so long.

"It's all right, Davina. I don't mean you any harm, though I do think it's time we had a talk" Davina is at first surprised, but after a moment, she smiles at him, and he smiles at her in return.


	21. Chapter 21

Elijah is standing in Davina's room in the attic, where he is standing in front of Davina as the two stare at each other. His skin is grey and mottled still from not feeding during the months he was daggered, and he can't help but focus on Davina's pulsing carotid artery as a result of his hunger.

Davina seems unfazed "You're the one they call honourable"

Elijah smiles "Yes, that's what they call me. And yet, I followed my brother here to New Orleans to engage in a war. So, I ask you does that sound honourable to you?"

Davina looks concerned "You don't look well"

"Well, only this morning, I had a mystical dagger embedded in my chest, so I'd say I'm holding myself together quite well" He pauses for a beat "Davina, I believe that you and I have the power to end a war between witches and vampires before it truly begins. I, by keeping my brother in line; you, by behaving like your true self, not some tool for Marcel or the witches"

Davina raises an eyebrow "And why should I trust you?"

"Well, for one thing, in spite of a ravenous hunger, I have not tried to take your blood" Elijah says calmly.

Davina shrugs "Why not? I'm the only one here"

"Even in my present condition, I would not feed from a child" Davina takes a hat pin and pricks her finger with it. A drop of blood clings to the tip of it, and she places the drop on Elijah's lip. He licks the drop of blood off of his lower lip, and after a moment, Elijah's skin returns to it's normal complexion. Davina looks pleased and smiles at him.

Klaus is pacing in the back kitchen of Rousseau's, which is empty of employees. When Sophie finally comes into the room with a basket of produce, Klaus grabs her and vamp-speeds them back to the plantation house for a meeting. He brings her to the living room, where Rebekah is waiting for them, and deposits Sophie onto the couch.

Klaus looks at her angry "We had a deal! You protect my unborn child, I dismantle Marcel's army. And whilst I've been busy fulfilling my part of the bargain, you allowed Brie to be attacked and almost killed by a gaggle of lunatic witches"

Sophie looks frantic "I had nothing to do with it, I swear. Brie and I are linked, remember? She dies, I die"

Rebekah looks confused "Then who were they?" Rebekah asked, wanting answers.

Sophie sighs "They are a faction of extremists. Sabine stupidly told them about some vision she had about the baby."

"What kind of vision?" Klaus asks, suspiciously.

"She has them all the time. They are totally open to interpretation. I'm guessing she's wrong on this one"

"Well, how, may I ask, was this particular vision interpreted?"

"Pretty much that your baby would bring death to all witches"

Klaus looks impressed and smiles at Brie "Well, well. I grow fonder of this child by the second"

Rebekah pipes in "Sophie, look, I promised Elijah that I would protect the Mikaelson miracle-baby whilst he tries to win your witch Davina's loyalty. Why don't you tell me just how extreme this faction is?"

Sophie looks shocked "Elijah's talking to Davina?"

Rebekah nods her head "Yeah. As we speak, I imagine"

"I'm guessing she'll have plenty to say about that crowd"

"Do tell" Klaus asks, looking intrigued.

" I wasn't always an advocate for the witches"

FLASHBACK-– NEW ORLEANS, EIGHT MONTHS AGO

At Rousseau's, Sophie dances to music behind the bar as the crowd cheers "Woo, drink up everybody! This is how they party in Rio!" Sophie pours liquor straight into her mouth from the bottle.

In Present Day, Sophie starts explaining "My sister was devoted, like our parents, and our upbringing was very strict, which drove me nuts. The minute I turned twenty-one, I left the Quarter to travel... and play"

In flashback, Sophie pours alcohol straight from the bottle into a girl's mouth and kisses her after she swallows it "But, I wanted to be a chef, so I came back to Rousseau's"

In flashback, Jane-Anne enters Rousseau's to find her sister "Oh, Jane-Anne!" Jane-Anne smiles and the girls hug affectionately.

"Welcome home, Soph. Can we go some place to talk?"

Sophie looks slightly concerned "Just tell me"

Jane Anne sighs "The elders called a vote. We're moving forward with the Harvest"

Sophie looks stunned "What?"

PRESENT DAY

Brie looks confused "What the bloody hell is a Harvest?"

"It's a ritual our coven does every three centuries so that the bond to our ancestral magic is restored. We appease our ancestors, they keep our ancestral power flowing"

"And why haven't I heard of this?" Klaus questions.

"Because a Harvest always seemed like a myth. A story, passed on through generations like Noah's ark, or the Buddha walking on water. The kind some people take literally, and some people don't"

FLASHBACK – THE HARVEST RITUAL REHEARSAL, EIGHT MONTHS AGO

Close to a dozen young witches are standing and kneeling in a row outside a farmhouse. An older witch, Bastianna, holds a knife as she paces in front of the girls. She stops in front of the first girl, Monique, and makes a small cut on the palm of her hand

"To be reborn, we must sacrifice"

Monique repeats nervously "To be reborn, we must sacrifice"

Bastianna cuts the palm of the next girl, Cassie "To be reborn, we must have faith"

Cassie repeats "To be reborn, we must have faith"

Bastianna cuts the hand of the third girl, Abigail "Do you have faith in the Harvest?"

Sophie shows up and stomps toward the witches "Not for a second!"

Monique looks at her sister surprised "Sophie!"

Sophie looks at Bastianna "What are you doing?"

"Saving the community you renounced"

"You're all ridiculous" Sophie looks at her Monique "Monique, seriously?"

Monique looks at Sophie reluctantly "My mom told me I had to"

"Yeah. Well, your mom and I are gonna have words" Davina is the last girl in the row, and she watches in worry as Sophie storms away.

PRESENT DAY

"They had the girls of our community preparing for months. Four would be chosen for the Harvest. They said that it was an honour, that they were special. I thought it was a myth"

"Was it?" Rebekah asks, getting intrigued. Sophie looks guilty, but before she can say anything, Klaus's cell phone rings.

He sees that it's Marcel and answers it "Marcel. Bit early in the day for you, isn't it?"

"I know, I make this look easy, but I still have an empire to run"

Klaus smiles fakely "Rather you than me. All that responsibility seems like such a bore"

"Well, this might spice things up- I just heard about a bunch of dead witches out in the Bayou. The kinda damage a werewolf might do, only there was no full moon. I have an informant out there I need to meet, and I would love for you to go with me"

"Dead witches in the Bayou. Sounds like less of a problem, and more like a cause for celebration"

"Well, something killed them. And may still be out there. And with your blood the only cure for a werewolf bite, I would love for you to accompany me"

Klaus pauses for a second "Oh, why not? Haven't been to the Bayou in ages. I'm on my way"

"Peace out, brother" Marcel hangs up. He is holding a photo of the plantation house where the Mikaelsons and Brie are now living. A woman who is standing next to him holds a stack of other photos in her hands as he turns to her. "This is the one"

Sophie, having heard Klaus' end of the conversation, looks at him in concern "You can't go out there now. I need to gather the witches' remains and consecrate them. If I don't get to them before sundown, we'll lose the link to their magic"

"Those witches tried to kill Brie. I'd prefer for Marcel's informant not to find anything that would lead him back to us, to her, or to... you know" He points at Brie's stomach "That"

Brie rolls her eyes "You are all class"

Klaus points at Sophie "Stay put. And save the rest of your story 'til I return"

Upstairs in her room, Davina is drawing while Elijah walks around and takes in his surroundings. Elijah sits in a chair and tinkers with the violin for a moment, until Marcel's footsteps can be heard from outside the room. When he enters, Elijah has hidden himself away

"Good news, Little D. I'm moving you out this pile of dust"

Davina looks happy "Are you serious? When?"

"Tonight. I just need to lock in the arrangements. How's our Original?" He gestures toward Elijah's coffin, but Davina anxiously stops him before he can open it.

"Uh, don't disturb the body! I have a spell in progress"

Marcel shrugs "Bet you do. Pack up, 'kay? Only what you wanna take. I'll buy ya anything else you need"

Davina feigns excitement "Okay" Marcel leaves the attic. Elijah appears from behind a corner

Elijah looks surprised "You didn't reveal that I was awake"

Davina smiles shyly "We're not done talking yet!"

Elijah returns to sitting back on the chair he was sitting on before Marcel arrived. "You and Marcel seem very close"

"Marcel's my family"

"And yet Marcel is someone who delights in harming the witches. Those people, I would think, you would consider family. This doesn't trouble you?"

Davina shakes her head "No. They deserve it"

Elijah looks confused "Why would you say that?"

"'Cause they're liars. All of them" Davina simply stated.

Sophie is in the cemetery, packing various bottles of magical ingredients into her backpack, when Brie enters the mausoleum "What the hell?"

Brie crosses her arms "You're going out there anyway, aren't you? I wanna go with you"

Sophie chuckles sarcastically "No, thanks. Already got assaulted by Klaus this morning. Don't need a repeat"

"What if whatever is responsible for all those dead witches is still out there? We've already established that it likes me and hates witches, so you'll be safer with me"

"Sorry if I'm not buying your sudden concern for my safety"

Brie blocks the exit, forcing Sophie to stop and listen to her "Listen. The whole reason I came to this stupid town in the first place was to tell Klaus about the baby. Your sister's the one that told me Marcel ran the werewolves out of the Quarter into the Bayou. And last night, I'm pretty sure that some guardian-angel-wolf saved my life. So, I'm coming with you"

Rebekah walks in to the mausoleum and joins the girls. Rebekah rolls her eyes "Could you two be more idiotic?" Brie and Sophie both look at each other and sigh in frustration. "Two can play the follow-game, you know! You heard Klaus, he and Marcel are headed right where you're going"

"So distract them. Because unless you wanna lock a hormonal, pregnant vampire in a tomb, I'm coming with you. And wouldn't Elijah be mad if he hears that the baby and I died of asphyxiation?"

Rebekah stares at her, clearly annoyed by her stubbornness. Sophie rolls her eyes and sighs again, resigned to having Brie and Rebekah tag along.

Klaus is standing in front of the bar, where he's calling Rebekah on his cell phone "What's the matter Rebekah? You cross that I'm out with your ex?"

Rebekah was annoyed "What is all that dreadful hillbilly ruckus in the background?"

"According to the dreadful signage, it's Big Auggie's Bayou Bar"

"Well, order up a few rounds of moonshine and steer clear of the dead witches for a few. The witch is on a burial mission, your baby mama is on a spirit quest, and I'm keeping Elijah's promise to keep her safe. So, stall, please?" Rebekah hangs up the phone. Klaus, who is visibly angry that his orders were ignored, enters the building and joins Marcel at the bar.

"Everything okay?" Marcel asked.

"Oh, just the usual. Temperamental sister. So, where's your informant?"

"Tomas? He's out sniffin' around. Grab a drink, and then we'll chase him down"

"Well, I suppose it will give us a chance to talk things over, like why you haven't returned Elijah. Maybe your young witch has grown partial to his company? She must get so bored"

"You never stop, do you?" Marcel said, exasperated.

"You never answer, do you?"

Marcel raises an eyebrow "Why're you so curious about Davina?"

"If I had a 16-year-old all-powerful witch at my beck and call, you would wonder about her, too"

Marcel smiles fakely "You're never gonna get her"

Klaus gives up "Okay, okay. I'll ask the harmless questions, then. How did you meet her?"

Marcel laughs "That might surprise you. This was eight months ago, before I banned the witches from using magic. Relations between vampires and witches weren't what you'd you call friendly, by any means, but let's just say we were a little less divided. In fact, some of us were getting along just fine"

Elijah is still sitting in the same spot for ages now, while Davina packs her suitcase "So, enlighten me. What did you mean when you said you had to die?"

"That's what the Harvest was. They said they'd put us four girls in a state of, like, peaceful limbo as part of the offering. And then later, at the Reaping, we'd awaken and be reborn. I never got as far as the limbo part, which means the Harvest isn't complete. That's why the witches are so freaked out. The Reaping is just around the corner, and if they don't finish it before then, it's over. All I have to do is wait it out"

"And then what?" Elijah asked as he wanted her to continue the story.

"They're punished, and I'm free"

"From Marcel?"

"Of magic. All our power will drain away. I'll be normal" Davina smiles.

Elijah looks confused "Is that what you want? To be normal?"

"I just don't wanna be what I am. I can't control it sometimes. Magic. I" She begins to cry "hurt people. Even when I don't mean to"

"Why don't you tell me about your friends? You must miss them" Elijah says, patiently.

Davina smiles "There's Tim. He doesn't know about any of this witch stuff. He's normal. My best friend, Monique. She was a part of the Harvest too. She's lucky. No one ever fought for me, but someone fought for her. The only one who ever spoke out against the Harvest was Monique's aunt"

"And who is that?"

Davina sighs "Sophie Deveraux" Elijah gapes at her in shock.

Sophie, Rebekah and Brie continue to walk around the woods of the Bayou to look for the dead witches.

"So, this Harvest thing. tell me more" Rebekah asked intrigued.

Sophie sighs "Klaus said to wait"

"Yes. He also said to stay out of the bayou and yet here we are, amongst the crawly, buzzy creatures"

"We're here" They have reached the place where the witches were killed. Their bodies are all bloodied and ripped apart, and a dismembered head lies near the bodies. Sophie, who looks sick, kneels down to dig around her bag for the ingredients she needs to consecrate her fellow witches "Whoa" Brie sees a huge paw-print in the mud. In a nearby tree, there are three bloody scratches in the bark.

"Is that a wolf track?" They hear the sound of crunching footsteps nearby.

Rebekah calls out to the intruder "Who's there?"

The person approaching them is a male vampire. Marcel's informant, Tomas

Tomas looked freaked out "What the hell? An Original?" He gets scared and immediately runs away with vampire speed, leaving the girls standing and gaping in shock.

Klaus walks outside of Big Auggie's Bayou Bar as he talks to Rebekah on his cell phone "Let me understand this- against all logic, you and Hayley went to the Bayou, where you ran into a man you think may be Marcel's informant, and then you lost him?"

Rebekah rolls her eyes "Yes, and now that we've established that I am a failure as a sister, and a friend, and an Original, you should probably know he's on his way to Marcel right now to rat me out. Skinny guy in a hurry, looks like he saw a ghost"

Klaus smiles "I'll handle it, but I'll need a distraction"

"I'm on my way" She hangs up, and swats at a mosquito that has landed on her arm. Klaus enters the bar again.

"Your sister again?" Marcel asked again.

"She craves attention. So, come along, you were just getting to the juicy bits"

"I can't joke around about this. I've done a lot in my day, but I do have a rule about kids"

The story about the Harvest continues as Marcel tells it to Klaus at the bar, and Davina tells it to Elijah in her room. Davina is continuing her story in her bedroom while Elijah listens intently.

"No one but Sophie ever questioned the Harvest. Not even my own mother. So, neither did I. We thought it was such an honour, we had such faith. We were so stupid. We were led out like princesses. My mother was so proud. Bastiana, one of the elders, called upon the four elements to bind our past and future magic together. Earth, to connect us to our ancestors. Water, to heal the community. Wind, to carry us to our ancestors and back. Fire, to purify. After all our preparation, we knew exactly what to expect. For weeks, they told us that the magic in the knife they used to cut our palms would put us to sleep, and that later at the Reaping, we would all be resurrected. They said we'd awaken, and all be together and more powerful than ever. And it was just like we rehearsed it. All that was left was a little cut on our palms for the blood sacrifice. Even after Sophie tried to stop it, we didn't suspect anything"

Elijah is looking at Davina in shock, clearly appalled by how she was treated. "Everyone involved in the ritual knew that this would happen"

"Except the four of us. They weren't putting us to sleep, they were slaughtering us! I begged for someone to help. My own mother turned away from me. Sophie screamed and screamed for her sister, anyone, to do something. But no one did"

"And yet, you survived. Therefore, someone or something intervened"

Davina nods, her eyes filled with tears "Yes. Someone finally did. Every girl who died released her power on to the next. When I was the last one, I suddenly had all of it- all the power that was supposed to be released back into the earth to appease our ancestors"

"So... the Harvest was actually working?"

"Something was working. And I knew that I was supposed to be killed so the Harvest could be completed and we would all be resurrected. But, they lied to us about how they were killing us. How do I know they weren't lying to us about coming back" She pauses a beat "But mostly, I just didn't want to die. So, I let him save me. Marcel saved my life"

Davina becomes overwhelmed by emotions, and the room starts to shake, as if they're in an earthquake. Elijah and Davina look around worriedly, and the window shutters burst open as the shaking stops "Davina, this power that you contain, drawn from your fallen friends, it's too much for you. You need control, which requires study and practice. Now, my mother was a very powerful witch. She left behind her grimoires, a legacy of books filled with spells. These books contain all of the tools that you might need to control your magic. If you free me from here, I can share them with you. However, if you leave now with Marcel, we'll never see each other again, and I cannot find you, and I can't help you"

"The witches manipulated me. You know how that ended"

"This is not manipulation. This is one thing in exchange for another. I'm offering you a deal"

Marcel bursts into Davina's room. Elijah is hiding in his coffin. "Okay, now's our shot. You ready to blow this joint?"

Davina smiles "Can't wait"

Marcel grabs Davina's suitcase and the two get ready to leave the room "We'll leave Elijah behind as a parting gift. Might buy me a little forgiveness for pulling one over on his siblings. Let's go"

The two leave the attic, though Davina gives her room a final parting glance before she goes. When the two of them are out of earshot, Elijah pulls himself out of his coffin. Downstairs, Marcel walks ahead of Davina. She stops suddenly in the middle of the church's main room, and he turns to look at her.

"What's wrong? What's happening?" The church starts shaking, and Davina's body tenses up as her body starts to spasm.

Davina was afraid "I don't know. Something's wrong" Marcel runs up to Davina to help her "Marcel. There's something dangerous out there. Take me back!"

Davina passes out, and Marcel catches her in his arms before she hits the ground "Damn it" He picks her up and carries her back to her room. Upstairs, Elijah waits in the doorway and smiles. He has hidden by the time Marcel brings her back up to her room and puts her into her bed. He tucks her in under her blankets, and after looking at her for a moment, he takes his leave. Once he's gone, Davina opens her eyes and lifts her head. Davina sits up in her bed after Marcel leaves the room.

Davina calls out "Elijah?"

Elijah comes out of hiding "I'm pleased you stayed"

"You'll keep your promise about your mother's spell book?"

Elijah nods "I will. You know, difficulties aside, I value my family above everything. I am sorry that yours failed you."

"Your brother Klaus handed you to Marcel in a box, yet you still don't give up on him?"

Elijah smiles "Well, I've given up on giving up. It's an affliction. I will fight for my family until my last breath"

"And I'll fight the witches until mine" Davina said, looking determined.

It's night now, and Brie and Sophie are returning to Sophie's truck "Those people, all this, because of a vision about my baby you don't think is true?"

Sophie sighs "Look, I love Sabine, but she's the witch equivalent of a drama queen. I've learned to take little stock in whatever she says or sees. Just kinda wish she'd kept her mouth shut"

"The Harvest ritual" Brie starts "You said you didn't believe in it. Were you right?"

Sophie shakes her head "No. I saw it with my own eyes. It was working. It was real"

"So, how can you be so sure Sabine's vision isn't?" Sophie doesn't have an answer to this question.

Marcel walks into the courtyard where Klaus is waiting for him up on the top of a cement barrier "Taking me on a field trip to distract me? Pathetic. And obvious. I taught you better than that"

"You taught me to protect what's mine. You will not take Davina from me. End of story"

"An immutable law of nature, Marcel, is the strong always take from the weak"

"Oh, if you were so strong, you wouldn't have run away from New Orleans like a little bitch all those years ago"

Klaus jumps down from where he was standing and punches Marcel in the face "You've been playing king with a bunch of children for too long. Don't mistake me for one of your nightwalker lackeys, Marcel. I can take Davina anytime I like"

Marcel lunges for Klaus, but he's knocked back down by Elijah, who has appeared out of nowhere "Do forgive me, Marcel. If anyone is to teach my brother a lesson... it's me" Klaus stares in shock at his brother, and doesn't seem too pleased to see him.

Back in the Mikaelson Mansion, Rebekah pours several drinks as she talks to Brie "I don't care if we have to get you a leash, that was your last trip to the Bayou" She hands her a drink. Brie side-eyes her, and Rebekah suddenly remembers that Brie is pregnant and can't drink, so she drinks Brie glass of bourbon in one gulp before pouring her own.

"Rebekah, I was thinking about going back to Mystic Falls. New Orleans just isn't for me. I need my friends, especially in times like this" Brie said, hesitant at first.

Rebekah sighs "Listen I get what you mean. I don't want to be here as much as you do. Well maybe more than you do. But Klaus wont let you go back. Not without him anyways. And he's a bit preoccupied at the moment to travel back to Mystic Falls. And he left for a reason"

Brie rolls her eyes "I really don't care I am going back whether he comes with me or not. He's not in charge of me anyways. Don't care if I am carrying his baby"

"He will only be feared incase something happens to you and the baby" Rebekah said, drinking her second glass.

"He only cares cause the baby will give him more power. That's the only reason he cares. If he wont let me go back home, then I'll go without telling him"

Their conversation is interrupted by Klaus walking through the front door. Rebekah looked relieved "Nik, finally! What" Elijah walks through the door after his brother with a huge smile. Rebekah runs to Elijah and hugs him tight. Elijah sees Brie over Rebekah's shoulder, and they smile at each other, though Brie leaves the room right afterward.

"Elijah! You're safe! Now that you're home, is your first plan to kill Niklaus?"

Elijah smiles "Excuse me just a moment"

He walks through the living room toward the back yard. Rebekah looks at Klaus, confused "Where's he going?"

Elijah walks out the back door, where he finds Brie standing on the patio. Brie smiles awkwardly "You're back"

Elijah grins "I'm back" The two look at each other for a moment, and then Brie slaps him in the face. "Don't make promises you can't keep" She turns to leave "Welcome home" Elijah touches his face where she slapped him, and smiles to himself as Brie heads inside.


	22. Chapter 22

The next morning, Brie woke up really early in the morning to leave to go back to Mystic Falls without in disruptions. She took Rebekah's advice and never told anyone she was going back home. Too much drama here for her to bring up a child here. Klaus's intentions for their baby was to give him power and she wasn't going to let him use their baby like that. She decided to leave a note on the table before leaving. It read "To Klaus, Elijah and Rebekah, I have decided it is time to go back home to Mystic Falls. Too much is going on here for me and my baby to stay here. At some point something is going to happen and I am for definite it wont be good. I need some space to think and to be with my friends. I got a message from Caroline and she sounds upset, I need to be there for her. Once I know everything is already and settled, I might rethink about coming back to New Orleans, but for now Mystic Falls is where I need to be. Hope you's understand. Brianna"

She sighed looking at the note but it was for the best she went back. She turned to head for the door and tried to open it without making too much noise. She listened to see if she could hear any movement in the house but couldn't hear anything and walked out the door, quietly closing it behind her. She unlocked her car and got in and started the engine and drove out the driveway and left the street.

After a 7 hour drive, she got a message from Caroline to tell her to come to this address. Did she move? Brie wondered as she drove straight to Caroline's. As she pulled up outside Caroline's house. She had to think of an excuse as to why she was away for as long as she was. She took the keys out the car and got out. Unlocking the door behind her, Brie headed towards the front door. Knocking and waiting for someone to answer the door. A upset Caroline answered as Brie seen tears rolling down her eyes.

"Brie" Caroline cried out, nearly jumping out the door to hug her.

Brie returned the hug "Caroline, what's wrong?" Brie asked, worried.

"It's Bonnie and Damon. They are gone" Caroline mumbled.

Brie and Caroline were in Caroline's bed room, sitting on her bed. Catching Brie up with what has happened since her absence "It all started when Stefan had been killed" Brie looked in horror as Caroline continued the story "And Damon was focused on holding himself together, while pushing Bonnie harder than ever to find a way to stop the disintegration of the Other Side. And then Damon caused a fire in the Mystic Grill which ended up in an explosion killing him and Elena, to try and find Stefan and bring him back to the world of living. Stefan and Elena made it back in time and Alaric and Tyler came back through too but Damon was too late and he got stuck in on the other side with Bonnie. And now they are gone" Caroline sobs into her lap. Brie moves closer and puts her arms around Caroline, comforting her.

"Is there anyway of bringing them back?" Brie wondered.

Caroline shrugs her shoulder "I don't know. I've been desperate to find a way to help them but no one else has been helping me. After spending the past four months coping with the loss of Damon in an unconventional, Elena has returned to Whitmore College for the start of sophomore year. Stefan is away tracking a lead to get Bonnie and Damon back but no one has heard from him. Its all a mess Brianna"

"We will find a way Caroline. I promise you that, I will help as much as I can before I have to leave again"

Caroline wipes her tears and looks up a Brie "What do you mean before you have to leave again? Where have you been Brianna. And tell me the truth. I know your not lying because I phoned your Gran when you didn't pick up my calls and I asked her if you were round and she said she hasn't seen you in a few months so spill" Caroline said crossing her arms.

Brie sighs and began to open her mouth but before she could speak Caroline's phone went out. She sighed in relief.

"This isn't over" Caroline said before picking up the phone. It was Elena. They spoke for a few minutes "I dropped out of Whitmore" Brie looked surprised as Caroline mentioned it on the phone "Why would I support their stupid football team?"

Brie heard Elena on the other end of the phone "It's the opening game of the season, Caroline. Time to come home"

Elena had been pestering Caroline for her to come back to College "You don't even like football"

Elena shakes her head "No, but I like drinking in the parking lot beforehand"

Tyler comes up behind Elena and starts talking into the phone "Caroline, you're coming"

"Tyler, don't act like you have any ground to stand on. You skipped an entire year..."

"And you hounded me for an entire year! So here I am.. Now get your ass back here" Tyler exclaimed.

"Caroline, I'm picking you up at 6 p.m. sharp tomorrow. Okay? Bring your school spirit. Bye!" Elena hangs up the phone.

Caroline sighs heavily. "Anyways where were we?"

"Care, you should go with them tomorrow" Brie said trying to change the subject. Caroline was about to speak until Brie interrupted her "Caroline, we both just lost one of your best friends. It makes sense that you want to hold on to what's familiar, but Elena lost her too. She clearly misses you"

"But" Caroline tried to moan.

Brie shakes her head "No.. Elena has clearly taken up residency on planet denial; where football is more important than her boyfriend being swept away into oblivion"

"Do you know she has barely cried for him? I mean, she was a full-on wreck over Bonnie for months, but when you mention Damon, it's like nothing ever happened"

"Caroline, Elena has experienced more grief than anyone I've ever met. You should cut her some slack" Brie's phone starts buzzing, interrupting their conversation. It was Rebekah. She had messages for her. Klaus was not happy by the sounds of her messages.

"Who's that?" Caroline asked trying to peak over Brie's shoulder.

"It's my gran, she must be worried after the phone call you's two had" Brie lied which made Caroline remember what they were talking about before Elena called.

"Okay you take the call then your going to tell me where you've been" Caroline said before turning her attention to her phone.

Great Brianna. Great. Brie thought to herself as she headed outside to take the call "Rebekah?"

"Brianna. What the hell are you playing at?!" Rebekah exclaimed.

"Rebekah you told me telling Klaus face to face that me going back to Mystic falls was a bad idea so I told him via letter" Brie could fell a smirk forming on her face.

"Brianna, my brother is going mental. He is ready to drop everything with Marcel and the witches to drive to Mystic Falls and bring you back to New Orleans"

"Rebekah please stop him from coming to get me. I promise you I will come back but my friends need me. Bonnie and Damon are gone and nothing is the same after I left"

Rebekah raised her eyebrow "What do you mean Bonnie and Damon are gone?"

"It's a long story and I will tell you later I promise. But please convince Klaus that I am safe and our baby wont come to any harm. I just want to make sure everyones all settled before I return to New Orleans but I cant do that if your brother intervenes"

Brie could hear Rebekah groan "Okay Brianna but you owe me"

Brie smiles at Rebekah, she knew she wouldn't of let her down "Thanks Rebekah, Ill call you later" She hangs up and turns around to see Caroline standing at her door, with her arms crossed.

"Rebekah?" Caroline questioned looking angry as Brie sighed. She had to tell her now. There was no way she was going to be able to avoid it now.

"I am pregnant, Caroline. And Klaus is the father"

"Oh My Crisis" Caroline looked gobsmacked and she held her face in shocked.

"I am sorry I didn't tell you sooner but too much was happening all at the same time and I just got too caught up in it all"

"Have you been with them this whole time?" Caroline asked, trying to get to grips with the conversation.

Brie nodded silently "Yes. That is why I had to lie. I knew this would be how you'd react. I don't know what to do Care. I am scared" Brie said bursting into tears in front of her.

Caroline moves towards her and gave her a hug "Ssh. Everything will be okay Brianna. I will help you get through this. We all will. Well when everyone has found out. Yeah it's not exactly the best situation to be in right now in these circumstances. But it will have to do. Anything you need, I will be there" Caroline said comforting her "Not happy with who the father is and where you've been these past few weeks but it's something you gotta do and I will be by your side the whole way"

Brie hugs her tighter "Thanks Caroline. I know you will be there. I really appreciate it and I will be there for you too. I will help you find a way to bring Bonnie and Damon back."

On a road outside Mystic Falls, Elena reaches into the back seat of her car.

"What are you looking for?" Damon asked, as Elena was hallucinating him.

"I thought I had. guess not. What's this?" Seeing a woman standing outside her car on the side of the road, Elena stops next to it "Hey. Are you okay?"

Sarah turns around "Depends. Am I still in the western hemisphere?"

"Hang on. I can help"

"I'm sorry. I'm from New York and we're big on cell phone reception"

"Where you heading?" Elena wondered.

"Mystic Falls. My GPS died and then I started second-guessing myself Elena starts feeding on Sarah "Aah! Aah!"

"Easy. This is when you wipe her slate and let her go" Damon said, trying to control her.

Elena was still feeding on her "I'm still hungry"

"You're gonna kill her, just like you nearly killed the last one and the one before that and the one before that"

"I got it, Damon. I'm gonna let her go. I'm just. I just need a little more" Caroline and Brie show up.

"Oh, my god! What are you" Caroline exclaimed.

"Caroline. It's not" Sarah starts running away "No!" Elena reaches the border of Mystic Falls and her arm burns in the sunlight; Sarah gets away.

"What just happened?" Brie looked shocked in the sight of Elena's arm burning. "Can we not get into Mystic Falls?"

Sarah is staggering and grasping her neck "Help! Help me, please"

Caroline ignored the question "What did you do? Why the hell are you feeding on people?"

"It's fine. I've compelled everyone else" Elena said trying to get Caroline to relax "Oh Brie your back" Elena said noticing Brie.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hang on. So you're the border-lurker?"

"Border lurker?" Brie questioned as she was confused. "Is this why you had to move?"

"Yeah, when the other side went down, travellers put a spell on Mystic Falls so no vampires were allowed in. So we all had to move out of Mystic Falls. Any vampire who tries to get in burns to death" Caroline turns her attention to Elena "Did you know my mom's been out looking for a vampire prowler?"

"The herbs... Luke's been giving me. They make me so thirsty" She turns away from Caroline "I am not thinking straight"

"Whoa, what herbs?"

"They make me see Damon" She turns to Caroline "I can talk to him, and, and I can be with him"

"God, is this what you've been doing this whole time? Hallucinating your dead boyfriend?"

Elena gives her an insensitive look "I tried to grieve him, Caroline. Trust me, I know grief. I've got grieving down to a science at this point, and I tried. But every time I let it sink in that I'm never gonna see him again, I feel like I'm gonna die"

"Oh God, I get it okay? I do. But, there are better ways to get through this"

"Like what? Like dropping out of school and having picnics with my mom, near the town border? Or maybe I could pull a Stefan and bounce from country to country, chasing some false hope that we're gonna find a way to bring Damon and Bonnie back. We're all getting through it. This is me, getting through it, okay?"

"Yeah but you're not getting through it, Elena. You're just pressing pause" Caroline sighs "Look, I'll call my mom and she can fix all this. But you need to get out of here, go hide, okay? So just... go"

Elena gets into her car "What am I doing" she mumbles to herself as ghost-Damon puts his hand over hers.

Stefan comes into his house carrying food bought in a shop. He hears his phone ringing but doesn't react. He nears the table, opens one of the bottles and drinks beer. Then he sees Elena has called him twice so he answers the phone "Hello?"

"Stefan, is that you? I know it's been a really long time since we talked, but..."

"Elena, hey. What's going on?"

"I need you to tell me that you found something. A witch. A guy who knows a witch who knows something. Anything. I need you to give me hope and tell me that you're gonna find Damon and bring him back"

Stefan shakes his head "Not yet"

"But how do you do it? How do you wake up in the morning?" she starts crying "How do you go about your day without falling apart? Tell me what you're doing to get through this, because I'm clearly doing it wrong"

"There's no right or wrong way, Elena"

Elena shakes her head "No, there's only forever. That's why I need you to give me hope. Because I don't think I can live forever without him"

"I can't. I gave up"

Elena says surprised "You just said that you were looking for him"

"I did. And then I realised it was pointless and that I needed to move on with my life, so... I stopped"

"What do you mean you stopped?" Elena asked, looking angry.

"I mean I said good-bye, Elena. I moved on. Damon is gone. It's time for you to say good-bye, too" Elena hangs up and cries openly sitting in her car.

Brie is in a diner going through her contacts until she gets to Stefan's. She calls him and it goes straight through to voicemail "It's Stefan. Leave a message"

"Hey. It's me. Just leaving a message about how today was not a good day. Everyone drifted apart. It's like everyone's pretending they can get through this alone. Elena's gone and I think she's so scared to accept what happened that she's become a completely different person. And if you ask me, Tyler's just hiding at Whitmore, pretending everything's fine as if he can outrun his werewolf gene or something. And Matt and Jeremy never leave Mystic Falls anymore. There's an invisible wall standing between us and them and nobody's doing anything about it. Part of me wonders if they hope we never find a way back in. And then Caroline. She has been trying her hardest to help bring back Bonnie and Damon. She is desperate to find a way to reverse the anti-magic spell the Traveler's have put over Mystic Falls And then there's me, just sitting in a diner on the border of town helping Caroline look for a way to get our home back. We just lost two of our closest friends. I know I haven't been here much over the past few weeks but we need each other. We need to be together, Stefan, or pretty soon we're just gonna end up pictures in a yearbook in a drawer somewhere, and so, that is why I am not going to stop calling you until you pick up the phone and I hear your voice and you tell me that you are going to help me fix it. Because I am not going to give up on us" The scene turns to Stefan sitting at the desk and the message from Brie comes. He takes the phone and crushes it with the finger.

"Do you like being a vampire?"Elena is in her dorm looking at the picture of her and Damon.

"Why don't you get some sleep? We'll talk about it tomorrow when that crap's out of your system"

"Because with all the funerals and the start of the year... We never really talked about how you're dealing with all this"

"You mean with me coming back to life? Well, moving away from Mystic Falls helped. And since my ex-girlfriend is happily married to a paediatrician up in Alaska, I didn't have any awkward reunions to handle"

"I meant the blood lust. The heightened emotions and immortality"

He sits on the bed next her. "Honestly, Elena... I hate everything about being a vampire"

Elena nods her head "Me, too. At least I did. Then one day, I discovered the good part. You know... The promise that love could be eternal. And I had that with Damon. Which means for the rest of eternity, I'm gonna have a hole in my heart where he's supposed to be"

"Trust me. It gets easier" Alaric said trying to comfort her.

Elena nods again "I know how death works, Ric. Trust me. I have done it. A lot. There's no such thing as moving on. It's a lie. So, if I'm ever going to be able to fall in love again, and make eternity bearable, I need you to do something"

"What?" Alaric questioned.

"You were created by the original vampire spell, which means you can compel other vampires. And since I can't take away my vampirism, I want you to take away Damon. I want you to compel me to forget that I ever loved him"

In the boarding house, in another world. Damon makes some pancakes. Pours coffee in cups and put the sugar cubes in each takes the plates and puts them on desk where Bonnie is siting.

"Every day I tell you I hate that" Bonnie said looking at her pancakes that had a face with vampire teeth.

Damon looks at her smug And every day I do it anyway. Bon Appetite"


	23. Not a chapter

Hi guys i will continue this story soon. Had so much going on with work and being on holiday for 3 weeks. So i will catch up with all my stories in the next couple of days. But i have been working on a new story called 'We Might Fall' if you's take some time to read it, it will be much appreciated thanks.


	24. Chapter 24

**Sorry its been so long since ive updated this story but I won't let you guys down again so here is the next chapter to this story. I made it extra long for you's for taking so long to upload. The orginals are not in this chapter but they will make an appearance in the next one. Hope you's like it. Give it a review if I've done it justice or if I am going down hill with the story and should just leave the story all together.**

Toast pops up and Ivy quickly drops them into a plate, she's in the kitchen alone, cooking breakfast. She scampers over but to the fridge, she pulls out orange juice.

Stefan walks slowly in but stops as he watches Ivy make herself right at home "Hey"

Ivy turns, surprised "Hey"

Stefan is confused "Uh, what are you doing?"

Ivy stood there awkwardly as she was beginning to feel like she shouldn't be there "Um, I'm..I mean I thought it would be nice to.." she stops and sighs "completely overstay my welcome"Ivy sets the orange juice down. A disappointed look on her face. Stefan fully enters the kitchen and turns off the stove. "I'm sorry, I thought, never mind what I thought"

"No, no. I just wasn't really expecting you to still be here. That's all"

Ivy nodded "Right. Because why should you expect someone you spent the night with to make assumptions about breakfast. I'm gonna go" Ivy begins to walk out of the kitchen.

"No, no, Ivy. I was just.."

"No, Stefan I get it. I am super into you, you're intermittently into me. Breakfast, bad" Ivy grabs her purse.

"Ivy, look why don't we have dinner tonight. Although I should probably do the cooking" Stefan says looking around the kitchen as it was in a mess with food everywhere. They both smile at each other

Brie was back in her dorm, it felt weird being back in the dorm after everything that's happened. She went awol for the last few weeks, found out she was pregnant with a man she hated. Living with the originals in New Orleans, trying to make things work for the baby coming but her baby daddy has a few enemies lurking about. And when all this was going on she was oblivious to what was going on in Mystic Falls while she was away. She came back to find out that Bonnie and Damon are stuck on the other side with no way back. Stefan has been working on a lead but turns out he gave up a long time ago. And Elena is on some witchy drugs so she could see her dead boyfriend. She walked into the dorm as she looked around the room and saw framed pictures on her dresser, one of Caroline and Brie sticking there tongues out, one of Brie kissing Stefan's cheek. A picture of Damon and Brie. Brie, who was looking at the photographs, sets a cardboard box on her bed. She grabs a blue button-up shirt from the bed, folds it and places it in the box. She grabs another framed photo of Stefan and Brie posing beside each other and puts that in the box too. She heads to the dresser, grabs the photo of her kissing Stefan, and then she grabs photo-booth pics of Stefan and Brie making faces. She slides her drawer open, with both things in her hand and grabs Stefan's black shirt. Brie holds the things tightly to her chest while she remembers her and Stefan kissing. She puts the two photos in the box, places the photo-booth pics in her diary as a bookmark and places it in another box.

Switches to Jeremy's face, he's sitting on the bench with Matt in a park. Elena was talking to him. "You gonna erase Bonnie from your head too?"

Elena sighs "Missing Bonnie, makes me sad, Jer. Missing Damon makes me dangerous. Alaric will compel away any memories and then make me forget that I had him do it. I need you to keep the truth from me too. Tyler and Stefan are on board"

"What about Caroline? Or Brie?" Matt asked.

Elena shrugs her shoulders and looks on at the view "Somehow I doubt they'll take much convincing"

—

Brie is sitting across from Alaric in a booth "You said that Stefan was looking for a way to bring Damon and Bonnie back"

"I thought he was. I've been feeding him leads for months. He let me believe he was following them" Alaric sighs as he was upset and angry with Stefan as he made him believe that he was looking for a trace but was actually sitting back letting everyone else do the work.

Brie looked down as she wanted to find Stefan and see what was going on "Well, Caroline has been telling me that she has been a little focused on magic bubble duty. And as you can see by the lack of magic in Mystic Falls, it's a spectacular fail of a mission. And now you're telling me that this whole time no one has been doing anything to help Bonnie and Damon?"

Alaric stayed quiet for a moment "I wouldn't exactly say no one" he said as Brie raised an eyebrow.

—

Enzo is in a closet kissing a witches neck "Oh, just lay it down" he said trying to get information out of the witch.

The witch moaned in pleasure as she was attacking her neck with kisses "I don't know anything"

"You witches are also monstrously secretive. Lucky for me I'm quite gifted at unraveling the truth" He gets on his knees and begins to kiss her bra.

"Okay, there's a coven in Oregon. They'd found a way to communicate with their ancestors before it went away. Maybe they know what happened to your friends. They call themselves the Gemini Coven. They're small and weird and they don't like outsiders"

Enzo looked pleased as he finally got some information out of her "See? You did know something"

The witch smirks "I just wanted you to work for it"

Brie appears behind them "Ahem"

Enzo looks around and see's Brianna and greets her with a smirk "Ha ha, well, well well. Well, there's a blast from the past. Hello gorgeous"

Elena is sitting at the edge of a bench with her phone to her ear "You're the last person I think would object to me erasing positive memories of Damon from my head"

Brie is in her car, her phone to her ear also "Yeah, but we are literally chasing a lead. W-what if we find something out? Yeah, you know what if Damon returns home and everything returns back to normal? And you're just sitting there all confused and weird?"

Elena stands up "Then Alaric will bring back my memories"

"But" Brie began but got cut off by Elena.

"But what? Go ahead, Brie say what you need to say. I don't want to pressure you into agreeing"

Brie shakes her head " I-don't know what to say, I was actually trying to think of what Bonnie would say"

Elena sighs and walks to a tree, she begins to kick it softly with her shoe. "And?"

Brie thinks for a second by sighs in defeat "And...she'd say that you should do what's best for you"

"Look, I think it's great that you still have hope, I really do but for my own survival I need to let him go"

"Well, then go on with your what-would-bonnie-bennett-do plan" Brie laughs "I'll make bumper stickers"

Elena giggles "I love you"

"I love you too" They both hang up

(The camera slowly moves out so that you see that Enzo is sitting beside her in the car.)

"Girl bonding, very sweet. I heard you left Mystic Falls and got pregnant with the original hybrid.

Brie shoots her head towards him 'how does he know that I'm pregnant?' "And I heard you were a lurker who was spying on my life. When do we exit?"

"Soon, uh. You should reconsider. Looks can only get a girl so far these days. And to answer your question I can hear two heart beats and unless you have two hearts then your pregnant? Does Stefan know?"

"Yeah, well I'm not taking feminist tips from a guy who just used his tongue to get secrets out of a coat check girl. And no he doesn't I've just got back and everything has changed"

"Garment detendant"

"You just made that up. So, did you also make up the 'Gemini Coven' lead too? Because I've never heard of them. Who are they?"

Enzo shakes his head "No idea, that's not where we're headed"

"What?! Wait, where are we going?"

Enzo smiles "You'll see"

Stefan's hands are hastily chopping cucumbers, and mushrooms. He puts them in a steaming pan. He drops cheese in it and begins to pour wine in the pan. Dusting his hands, Stefan goes to the fridge, opens it and takes out a blood bag. He squeezes it into his mouth and sighs of pleasure. He hears the door making noises so he hurries and tosses it back in the fridge, turning to see Ivy "Hey. Perfect timing, I was just uh-" he stopped

Ivy smiles "I ran into some of your friends"

Stefan looks confused. "What? Where?"

Enzo and Brie steps into the house since the door was still open, he scrubs his hands together.

"Stefan! You are a hard man to track down. Uh, I wasn't sure if you're new..friend would invite us in but she said that this was your place. Which means...open invitation to all your mates, right?" Enzo rubs his hands together again. "Got any bourbon?" Brie looks a bit angry with her arms folded, she exchanges a look with Stefan, who looks a bit guilty.

Ivy, Stefan, Brie and Enzo are seated at the table, Enzo is staring Stefan down "Good stuff, mate"

Stefan nods, pleased.

Ivy looks at Enzo and Brie "So, how do you guys know Stefan?"

"He and I went to high school together. We actually use to be close "She cuts a glance at Stefan. Brie, Ivy and Stefan exchange awkward glances "Not that he's not allowed to date, I mean we grew apart I guess. I just didn't realise that he had met someone. So how did you meet exactly?

"Uh, Ivy's car was in the shop, where I work"

Brie raised an eyebrow "You work at an Auto-Repair shop?"

Stefan smacks his lips "It's relaxing"

Ivy looks confused "Why? What did you used to do?"

"Ah, man of all seasons, jack of all trades" He looks toward Ivy. "You have a lovely clavicle"

"Oh, Thank you. I think" She says awkwardly putting her hand on her neck.

Enzo smiles "Forgive me, I always notice a woman's neck. I'm a neck person! So is Stefan, right Stefan?"

Stefan shakes his head "Not anymore"

"Ah, well that's silly. You can't just stop being a neck person"

Ivy leans over to whisper at Brie "Is Enzo your boyfriend?"

Brie had a disgusted look on her face "Ugh, oh god no. Would you date that?"

Enzo gave her a dirty look "Uh, hello. I'm right here, I have super-sensitive hearing. Practically supernatural. Do you believe in the supernatural, Ivy?"

"I've...never really thought about it"

"I myself, am I believer. Had to get a witch to do a locator's spell to find my buddy here" Everyone exchanges looks, and then they begin to laugh "So, Stefan, tell us, this house, very charming. When'd you get it?"

Stefan is pouring wine into a glass cup. "About a month or so ago"

Ivy shakes her head "No, more than that, remember? We met two months ago and you already had it"

Brie shot him a look "You've lived here for more than TWO months?"

Stefan nods his head "Yeah, I guess I have"

"Well, I guess that's just weird because, you know; everyone thought you were living somewhere else" Stefan sits "And you're job was supposed to be investigative work not Auto-Repair"

Stefan shrugs " Right. Well, I've moved on from that job"

"Well, you can't move on from investigative work until you've solved the investigation, Stefan" Brie carried on.

"How about we just drop it? I'm happy doing what I'm doing now, and that's all that should really matter, right?"

Brie leans forward to protest but Enzo stops her "There, darling. No need to make a scene. Really it's all just some big misunderstanding, perhaps this will clear it all up"

Enzo grabs his fork and stabs Stefan's hand to the table, Ivy screams, and Brie spits out her wine "ENZO!" Brie shouted as she watched on in horror.

Stefan, wincing from pain "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"So many secrets, what are you running from, Stefan?"

Enzo removes the fork and the wound heals.

" Um, I-I don't" Brie gets up, grabs Ivy by her chin and looks in her eyes, compelling her.

"Calm down, come with me. Let's go upstairs" Brie turns to Enzo angrily. "No need to make a scene?!"

Brie and Ivy leave, Stefan and Enzo stare at each other with hatred. "What kind of coward gives up on his own brother?"

"You don't know what you're talking about" Stefan gets up and super-speeds toward Enzo, who holds him back with his arm, Enzo speeds him at the fridge and grabs another fork, stabbing Stefan in his neck.

"Why don't you enlighten me?" Stefan pushes Enzo back, he crashes into the dinner table and breaks it. Stefan removes the fork from his neck, Enzo gets up and speeds, pinning Stefan to the wall, but Stefan bangs his head against Enzo, who stumbles back leaving Stefan to punch him. When Enzo stumbles, holding on to the kitchen counter for support, Stefan snaps his neck.

Brie walks back into the kitchen to see what all the noise was. She looked around the room and it is completely trashed and Enzo is still temporarily-dead, slumped by the counter "What the hell?"

"It's fine, Brie. I really don't care"

"Why? Why don't you care? You're the one who always cared, it's what I liked about you. You know amidst all the crazy in our perfectly-messed-up lives, you cared more than anyone. So how could you just-stop?"

Stefan turns around "Cause I had to. I had to 'move on'. You know, the months before I moved here I was following every lead that Alaric sent my way. I spoke to every witch, every shaman, every psychic in 20 countries around the globe, and every lead was a dead end"

"But Enzo has another lead, there's this coven in Oregon—" she started as but Stefan interrupted her.

"The Gemini Coven, yeah I looked into them too, Caroline there was nothing there. Because there's nothing we can do, Damon and Bonnie are DEAD. I had to come to terms with that. And once I did, I had to start over, I couldn't just live my life with my old friends, I couldn't just go near Mystic Falls or Elena or—"

"Or me?" They look at each other, Stefan looks away guiltily. "Cause I thought we were closer than that, I mean you could hear in all those messages that me and Caroline left you, you couldn't hear that I was completely falling apart without you we both were?" She stares at him for his response but Stefan is still looking down, guiltily, her face straightens in realisation, she looks away from his face. "Cause you never listened to them"

" I had to move on I didn't have a choice" Brie looks extremely sad, and appalled, her eyes are filling with tears. "I had to erase everything"

Brie sighs, looking more angry than sad now. "Well, let me summarise them for you. You're a dick, if you want him out of your house, you'll throw him out yourself" She storms out.

Brie is in her car, balling her eyes out. Her makeup is smeared and she is practically wailing. But then her cell phone buzzes and she picks it, she attempts to take the teariness from her voice.

"Hey"

"Hey Brianna. I was wondering well Nik was how long this mission to fix Mystic Falls was going to be? He's is getting on my last nerve. He will come for you Brianna. He will make this his mission if you don't come back quickly. Once my brother has plan in his head theres no convincing him other wise. Ive tried my hardest to convince him to let you do your own thing but he's getting impatient" She heard Rebekah batter on about her brother.

Brie wipes her tears "Don't worry Rebekah. Tell your brother I'll be back tomorrow. The faster I get out of this town the better" she whimpered as tears fell from her face.

Rebekah could here Brianna cry "Brie whats wrong? Are you hurt?" Rebekah asked worried.

"Not literally but think my heart is broken but I am fine Rebekah. I'll have to be. Just going to make sure me and my baby are alright from now on. Everyone else can fend for themselves. I'll see you in the morning. Bye Rebekah" When she hangs up she begins to cry again, but then Enzo opens the door and steps into the car, Brie turns to the window so he can't see her cry.

"Oh, well that was a bit of a bust" He notices that she's sniffling and that she's not turned to him and his expressions turns into one of concern. "Hey, hey" Enzo grabs her face and turns her to him, he sees her crying and he looks angry, he lets her go "I'll be right back" Enzo leaves Brie sobbing in the car.

Stefan is squatting, picking up the broken legs to the table, Ivy is entering the room.

"Hey, did your friends leave?" She notices the broken table. "Whoa, what happened?"

Stefan: Oh, you know my friend he's a...a bad drunk.

Ivy, smiling "Yikes, well at least your friend Brie seemed nice"

Stefan's has the broken legs in his hand. "Yeah, well I'm going to go throw this out" He heads into the backyard, and when he returns into the house Enzo has Ivy by her neck with both his hands. He slowly walking forward "Let her go"

"Okay" He snaps her neck and she falls to the ground.

"No!" Stefan super-speeds toward Enzo but Enzo throws him back onto the ground, and slowly approaches him.

"I've got a girl out there crying over you, because she cares so much" Stefan sits up but doesn't attack Enzo, his eyes are wide in shock "I'm over here trying to figure out why, because I can't see what's worth caring about"

Stefan stands up, there are tears in his eyes "You know Damon once told me that he promised you an eternity of misery. And I remember thinking "well what could his brother have ever done to inspire so much hatred?" But now I get it...you're not a brother to him. Brother's don't give up" He takes a step forward "So every time I see you doing anything that looks like you've done so, every time you try to start over in a life that's nothing but a lie, I will make you pay"

Stefan's face looks like he's been crying, but his face isn't wet.

" I will be the one to bring you the misery you deserve" Stefan growls and super-speeds at Enzo, but he snaps Stefan's neck and Stefan falls to the ground. Enzo, breathless "See? We're all still neck-people" He walks out through the back door.


	25. Chapter 25

Stefan drives up into his job, parks and walks into the garage. His boss is underneath the car and he's fixing it.

"Ain't a parking lot, kid"

"Yeah, well I'm not here to work. Need a few days off"

"It looks like I need a new mechanic" Dean said cockily.

Stefan pulls Dean from underneath the car "I said, I need a few days off"

"Are you slow? Let me simplify: Stay, keep the job. Leave, lose it" Stefan yanks Dean up by his collar and then holds him above ground by his neck "How the hell are you so strong!?"

"You hired a vampire, next time do a background check" Stefan looks into his eyes, compelling him "Now, shut up and don't move" He sets his boss on the ground and Dean is still. "You have no idea how long I wanted to do that. See, I was trying to...get a fresh start, live a normal life, normal job, normal dick of a boss. That's you by the way, and this place was supposed to be my sanctuary. And it was until yesterday"

Stefan pulls Dean toward his car "Come with me" He opens the trunk, revealing a dead Ivy "This is my girlfriend Ivy, someone killed her last night in front of me. So, now I have to go back home, last place on this earth I wanna be. Find him, and kill him" He shuts the trunk and turns to Dean. "Like I said, I need a few days off"

Dean, slowly "You should take a few days off"

"Thanks buddy, I will" He grabs the keys from his back pocket "Now, I need you to drive my car into the woods, and you're going to bury my girlfriend. And forget this ever happened. Oh, and when I get back you're giving me a raise"

Brie is staring at the graduation pic of Bonnie, Elena, Brie and Caroline all wearing red graduation clothes. And she sighs, heading over to the bed.

Elena is walking into the room with a tray of two coffee "So I uh, volunteered at the hospital until like two. And then I figured we could carpool to the party at the swimming hole" After setting the coffee down, Elena realises Brie is packing. "Um, normally when you move back in you unpack"

"I'm not staying. Last night was just a momentary moment of weakness"

"Momentary moment?" Elena asks looking confused. Brie nods "Are you sure you don't want to come back to school?" Brie stares at her directly "Brie, needing your friends isn't a weakness, momentary or otherwise"

Brie shuts her suitcase "Tell that to Stefan, who clearly needs no one"

Elena crosses her arms "Cut him some slack, he lost his brother. Granted, said brother was a homicidal maniac. But, still." Brie is staring at Elena with sadness, and incredulously "What?"

Brie, shakes her head back into reality "Nothing, I just I gotta go, got breakfast with Enzo, and then I'm gonna go"

Elena looks judgmental "Enzo"

Brie, surprised alone "Mm, hmm"

"You guys go on one road trip and all of a sudden you're breakfast buddies?"

Brie, giggles "Yeah, I guess so. Ironically, he's recently become one of the most stable people in my life"

Elena still looks skeptical and judgy "Okay, then invite him to the party"

Brie sighs, frustrated "Elena"

"Come on, I got Matt to take the afternoon of from his training and Tyler to give the practice squad a break, even Jeremy is coming. It's been forever since we've all been together, it'll be fun" Brie opens her mouth, skeptical. Elena, pointing her finger at her "Don't make me invoke the nuclear option"

Brie raises her eyebrows. "Cause I will selfie bomb you. Every five minutes"

Brie laughs. "Okay, fine I'll go to the party"

"Yay" She picks up the tray of coffees.

"But I'm not moving back in" Brie says as she heads to the door.

"That is a conversation to be had over jello shots" Brie leaves and Elena drinks her coffee.

As Brie leaves the dorm her phone rings. She checks the caller Id before picking up. It was Stefan. She declined the call before putting it in her back pocket. She didn't want to see or speak to him until she calmed down a little. Hell she didn't want to talk to him ever again. Her phone rang again but this time it was Elijah. "Elijah" she picked up.

"Brianna how are you?"

"Could be better but if you want an update on me and the baby then we are fine"

"Come back to New Orleans Brianna" Elijah pleaded "I want to make sure you are safe and I cant do that when your in Mystic Falls"

"Look Elijah I told Rebekah I'd be back but don't know if New Orleans is the best place to be for me right now" she said feeling guilty for telling Rebekah she'd be back "Since I got there I have been attacked by French Quarter vampires, I've had to live in a house with a secret dungeon full of coffins, and I was nearly murdered by witches who are convinced my baby is Lucifer"

"Well I am just happy your still in one piece" Elijah smiles "So, back to the murderous witches. I have some concerns"

Brie nods, she was worried as she doesn't have anymore knowledge about her link with Sophie as she hasn't been harmed "They're evil. And, my life is still magically linked to Sophie Deveraux, which is not comforting"

Elijah nods "Yes, I think it's time we took care of that little problem"

Brie could head Rebekah in the back ground "I am all for it. As soon as they're unlinked, we get to leave this crap town. Who do we have to kill?" She could feel Rebekah smirking.

Elijah considers this for a moment "Probably no one"

Brie gives Elijah a significant look of disbelief over the phone "I don't believe that for a second"

Elijah rolls his eyes and sighs "Alright, potentially everyone"

"Well when you figure how to unlink me from Sophie then get back to me but until then speak to you soon Elijah" Brie says as she goes to hang up.

"Brianna. Please stay safe"

She smiled at Elijah's worry for her safety "I will Elijah. I will make sure me and my baby come back to you's in one piece" she hangs up.

—

"This hospital thing..Its a whole new look huh?" Stefan says.

"Yeah..Apparently this colour" Elena said pointing to her t-shirt "disguises all bodily fluids that i get covered in throughout the day. So far its been only observation but I don't know.. Ilove it there. Seeing sick people getting better..it's inspiring"

Stefan nods "You seem different. Seem happier"

"And you? Are you happy?" She Pauses "Brie told me a little bit"

"Ohh..About the dinner party from Hell"

Elena starts laughing "Her exact words actually. In between the ranting she may have mentioned something about your new job and a new girlfriend" she looks questioningly "Ivy right? Is it Ivy?" Stefan looks down uncomfortably "Stefan it's . It's not weird i promise. I'm just happy to finally see you again you know" Stefan nods understanding "It's been really rough. Losing Bonnie the last couple of months" She stops suddenly realising something "Which is an incredibly insensitive thing to say to somebody who just lost their brother I'm sorry"

"No i've been working on the healing thing too. I guess. Hey, by the way, have you heard from Brie? She's not returning any of my calls and I really wanna apologise for the way i acted"

"Ohh she'll be there at the swimming hole today. You should come.

Stefan shakes his head "No I'm not sure i'm ready to dive back into all that. No pun intended"

Elena smiles "Stefan they're your friends too. C'mon. I know that we can't hang out at the Grill anymore. But that doesn't mean we can't all spend time together. C'mon please. If not for that then at least to convince Brie that Enzo is not new best friend replacement material"

Stefan: Will Enzo be there?

"Yeah..but I can easily uninvite him. I'd rather you come"

Stefan cuts in "No. Don't worry about it" Thinks for a moment "Yeah. Maybe I'll stop by"

"Great" Elena looks happy.

—

Enzo is carrying ice bags when he notices someone following him. He avoids a wood piece and it gets lodged in the ice bag tearing it "That was Brie's ice."

"Yeah. Well, you'll be dead, so I think she'll let you off the hook" Enzo smashes the ice bag on Stefan's head. Stefan falls down but gets up again.

"I don't want to kill you, Stefan. (He takes out the wood stick from the ice bag and throws it at Jay who is standing behind Stefan with a gun. It stabs him in the neck. Jay falls to the ground, dead "But it looks like he did"

Brie walks up to the drinks table, opens the ice box and sees that it is empty "I thought I told Enzo to go get more ice"

A random girls comes up from behind her and scoffs "Did you do it in that tone? Because I think I know why he didn't"

"Congratulations. Now it's your job" She compels her "Go get ice"

Jeremy walks up to her "Aren't we supposed to be having fun?"

"Is that why you brought your latest fling in a series of sad attempts to pretend like you don't care about Bonnie" she said nodding towards the girl who's smiling at Jeremy "To have fun?" Jeremy looks on a bit disturbed. Brie gets a text from Enzo that says " we have a problem"

—

"Right. Cavalry's on their way, so why don't we put a pin in our little spat till this all gets sorted, eh?"

Stefan walks to where Jay's body lies, picks up his gun and points it at Enzo "No, thanks"

Enzo couldn't believe him "You've got to be bloody kidding me. I just saved your life"

"So you can give me a lifetime full of misery. Well, that's fine. I'm just gonna shorten the lifetime"

Brie super-speeds in front of Stefan "Stefan"

"Good news, Brianna. I thwarted a vampire hunter. Bad news... Stefan has become a vampire hunter"

Brie looks at Enzo then looks back Stefan "What are you doing?"

"Why don't you ask him?" Stefan stares at Enzo then leaves.

Brie turns around to face Enzo "What did you do?"

—

In the woods, elsewhere, Brie calls Stefan when she sees him but Stefan tries to avoid her. She super-speeds in front of him "Stop, ok? I am sorry. I did not know about Ivy, but..."

"But what? What? I was fooling myself, I was using her as an escape? Yeah, I know what you think, Brianna"

"Well, actually, I was gonna say, "but killing Enzo won't bring her back."

Stefan shakes his head "No, but it will stop him from reminding me of my brother. I kill him, I can leave this place, and I can start over again"

"So that's why you left all those messages on my phone, promising apologies. That's why you visited Elena, that's why you came to this party, just to kill Enzo and start over?"

Stefan nods his head "Yep"

Brie scoffs "I don't believe you. I know that a part of you misses this place and these people, your friends. I know that being back here reminds you how much we need you, how much... I need you, but if I'm wrong, then go ahead. Just go. Start over, but, God, if I'm right, if just a little part of you came back to check on Elena, who's had an unbearable 4 months, or Alaric, who just came back from the dead, or me... If even just a small, little part of you came back to check on me... Then stay" Stefan waits for a moment but then leaves suddenly. Brie starts crying. She sees Elena who has been observing everything from nearby and both look at each other sadly. Elena comes ahead and hugs Brie as she continues to cry.

Brie enters the room. "So, I was just gonna leave my clothes here until I know what I'm doing if that's okay"

Elena nods "Yeah, of course"

"I also was thinking that you know if there are vampire hunters on the loose then living alone right by there home base is probably not a good idea"

"Is this an official unpack? Because your moving method is so confusing" Elena raises an eyebrow.

Brie nods her head "Yes, this is an official unpack. I have something I need to tell you and I don't know how your going to take it?"

Elena looks at her "Whats wrong?"

"The reason I have been away for a while wasn't because I was visiting my gran, I was in New Orleans"

Elena looked confused "New Orleans? Why were you there?"

Brie takes a deep breath "I don't expect you to like what I am about to tell you but I found out I am pregnant" Elena's eyes widened "And Klaus is there father"

By that point Elena's mouth dropped "How….when?" She stuttered.

"Remember when we had a sleepover at The Salvatore's?" Elena nodded "I had told you I had sex with Klaus. Yeah then"

Elena didn't know what to do "Umm am I the only one who knows?"

"Caroline knows too. She found out when I first came back"

"Brie you do know I will always be there for you right? I would never abandon you especially now"

Brie smiled when she heard Elena say that. "You know that's music to my ears. I cant believe you's are all being supportive"

Elena grins "Of course we are. And will be. Even if your baby daddy is a murderous psychopath"

They both laugh and Brie sighs " I miss Bonnie and Damon, I miss Mystic Falls, I miss my old life. And I miss ..."

"Stefan?" Elena questioned.

Brie nods her head "Yeah, I miss Stefan"

"Brie, you and Stefan, did you have feelings for him or something?"

Brie looks into space "Yeah, I think maybe I did"


	26. Chapter 26

Stefan's working on restoring Damon's Camaro. After a moment, he senses someone watching him. He turns around, but he can't find anyone "Hello?" He shrugs the feeling off and continues on with his repairs the car. A person enters the garage. Stefan turns around again, this time finding Ivy standing behind him. Her face is covered in blood. Stefan looks shocked "Ivy"

"Stefan, I don't feel so good. Your friend Enzo made me drink his blood, and now I'm so thirsty" Ivy's vampire-face comes out. Stefan is horrified

—

Stefan knocks on Brie's door, she's alone, in a towel, she opens it for him "Stefan? Where have you-?"

He pushes past her, carrying a black trunk "I need a favour" He drops it on the floor.

Brie closes the door and holds her towel up "What are you doing? And what is with this trunk?" She leans down to open it while Stefan closes the curtains Brie is still leaning down when Ivy popped out of the chest, Brie shrieks "Oh, my god!"

"Where am I?" Looking at Stefan. "What did you do?"

Stefan makes a face. "Ivy, how did this happen?"

"Uh, Enzo turned her" Stefan said replying for Ivy.

Brie leans her head to the side "Then Stefan broke my neck and I woke up in a trunk"

Stefan nods his head " Right. So, I need a little bit of help"

"No" she looks at Ivy. "No, no, no"

"Just watch her for a little while, while I get Luke to make her a daylight ring" Ivy stands and leaves the trunk. "Show her the ropes, teach her some control"

Brie shakes her head "No, no. This is not my mess" She points at him. "This is your mess"

"My mess that wouldn't have happened if you had just left me alone" Stefan said giving a dig at Brianna.

Ivy, plopping on Brie's bed "You know the real tragedy in all this? "He's just not that into you,"

Stefan and Brie both said in unison "Shut up!"

"If anybody can teach her, it's you"

"Yeah? Well, you don't have to flatter me because I already know that"

"All right? So just a couple of hours, and then you'll never have to deal with me again"

Brie looks at him " Is that what you think I want?"

Stefan shrugs his shoulder "I don't know, you tell me" Stefan leaves

Brie and Ivy in the dorm room "When do we eat" Brie slowly looks at her stupidly.

Brie is squatting in front of the mini fridge, but rises to her feet the second Ivy enters the room. Ivy twirls in her dress "What do you think?"

"I think you're wearing my dress. And you must be deaf because I already said. The. Party's. Not. Happening" She tosses a blood bag to Ivy, who catches it.

"So you'd rather be locked in a dorm room with a newbie vampire?"

Brie sits on the bed "No. I would rather be at the party but I don't want to cause I have a baby inside me and if something happens to this miracle baby then I'm doomed" Brie swings her head" Just like I'd rather have friends who didn't ignore me for months and then use me when they need help"

Ivy pulls the blood-bag free of her mouth "Whoa. Just realised why Stefan brought me here to learn control. Just do yourself a favour. Unwind. Just admit you have a thing for him" She brings the blood bag to her mouth again.

Brie sits up on the bed while jabbing a finger at Ivy "Excuse me?"

"I saw the way you looked at him that night you came over for dinner" Brie scoffs. "You practically cut his food for him!"

"Oh, you know, my relationship with Stefan is strictly...complicated. Okay, aren't you supposed to be practicing your vamping or something?"

Ivy uses vampire speed to stand in front of Brie "Done. See? I'm fine, you already put your number into my phone as my emergency vampire contact. I know I burn in the sun, we covered compulsion and snatch, eat, erase" She looks at the window "Look, it's getting dark. Let's go party. You can teach me how to eat someone without killing them"

"Stefan will be here very soon, and then you can do whatever you want... WITH HIM"

"Can we at least play a board game or do something non-vampire related"

"Finally, a good idea" Brie stands and heads for the cabinet "What kind of game do you want to play?"

Ivy shrugs "I don't know, Scrabble?"

Brie is oblivious to the fact that Ivy is standing right behind her "I have tournament, classic, and travel-sized"

Ivy's hands twine around Brie's neck and snaps it, Brie falls to the ground "Oops hope that doesn't harm your baby" Ivy speeds out of the dorm.

—

Brie wakes up in the dorm room, she looks around the room if she could see Ivy but she was long gone. She pressed her hand against her stomach to make sure the baby was okay. Once she knew the baby was okay she stood up and walked out the dorm to find Ivy. The sky is dark, Brie is outside, walking down a street with a phone to her ear "Stefan, hey. This is the third message alerting you that your psychotic little she-vamp has gone AWOL, and if you hadn't noticed, it's dark outside, so every dead sorority girl tonight is officially on you" She hangs up the phone.

Alaric is alone in the classroom, sitting in one of the students's seat as picks up a bottle of bourbon from beside him; he has a stack of papers on his lap. Alaric twists open the cap and takes a swig of bourbon.

When he's finished, he looks down and sees that Stefan is standing in the doorway " Grading on the curve, huh?"

Alaric doesn't smile, just closes the bourbon "You know this barely makes a dent" He's staring at the bourbon. Stefan looks down, pursing his lips "Can't fault me for trying, though. You want some?" He looks up at Stefan.

"No, I just... came here to get one of these from Luke" He holds up a daylight ring.

"Let me guess, you played the 'Damon is dead, and it's all your fault' card" Stefan takes a moment to look guilty "What do you want, Stefan?" Alaric is clearly angry with Stefan, who steps further more into the room

"Enzo turned a vampire when he and Brie found me."

"You mean your girlfriend, from Savannah" Alaric stands, walking over to Stefan "The one you falsely led me to believe was a witch who knew how to help Damon and Bonnie?"

"Her name is Ivy. I was hoping you can compel her to get a handle on things, get somewhere far away from me, live a good life"

"Are you asking me to help you with a break up?" Alaric raises an eyebrow.

"I'm just asking you to give her a fresh start"

"You mean give you a fresh start" Stefan is silent "Sorry, Stefan. It's not that easy"

"Well it was when you compelled Elena to forget about Damon"

"Well you forgot about him first, pal" Alaric turns away.

"He was my brother"

"Yeah, and he was my best friend! Why don't you get out of my face, before I compel you to be the guy I used to know instead?" And with that, Stefan slowly leaves, looking defeated.

A man is walking to his car, wearing a white T-shirt. He slips his key into the keyhole and he looks up at his reflection in the mirror, he sees Ivy, the man whirls "You scared me" But he's smiling.

"Really? That wasn't scary... But this is" Veins bloom from under her eyes, and she zips forward and bites him, with one booted foot on the car and the other on the ground. She releases him, hands still on his shoulders and smiles."I snatched, I ate, now... ERASE!" She's looking directly in his eyes.

"Erase what? What the hell are you doing to me?"

Ivy's smile fades "I don't think I did it right" She's breathing deeply. "And I'm still hungry. Oh my god, I am totally going to kill you, uh" She looks directly in his eyes "You should go. Run! SERIOUSLY!" The guy runs away "I suck at this"

Brie is walking down the street, and she finds a car covered in blood. Brie sighs. A light shines on her and she turns, Stefan's red car just parked onto the sidewalk and Stefan steps out. "THANK GOD!"

"You lost her?"

Brie scoffs "Oh, so you decide to listen to your messages a million hours later? No, I didn't lose her, she snapped my neck. What the hell took you so long?" She gasps "You were gonna leave weren't you?"

Stefan ignore the question " I slid Ivy's daylight right under your front door"

"No, I don't care about some stupid ring, Stefan! Were you seriously about to dump your vampire ex-girlfriend onto my lap, and then just skip town?" Stefan slightly nods. Brie's mouth widens, she's appalled, angry and shocked "God, who are you right now?!"

"I'm someone who's trying to start over, and then suddenly you and Enzo show up and now I have hunters on my trail and a brand new vampire who wants to kill me and everyone else in her path! And that's not how someone starts over, Brie!"

"You know what the worst part about all of this is? Is about a month ago, I wished that Damon would come back. Because I knew if that happened, that I'd get you back too. But right now, all I want is for you to just get back in your car, and go" Stefan looks hurt as he walks away from her, leaving Brie who shuts her eyes and licks her lips as she hears Stefan's car drive away and when he's gone her cellphone buzzes, she puts her phone to her ear. "Where are you?"

Ivy is standing in the road, with her cellphone. "I did a really bad thing"

"Oh, you mean, break my neck? Yeah, I noticed. And you better be glad my baby is fine"

"Okay, two bad things. Look, I'm sorry-"

Brie sighs "Tell me exactly where you are and stay put, I'll come get you" She leaves.

Ivy, wearing her bloody dress is standing in the road with her phone to her ear "Where are you? I have been standing here for a hundred years"

Brie rolls her eyes "Don't exaggerate, I'm almost there"

Ivy hangs up, and suddenly a car drives up, she waves her arms for a ride. It's Tripp "Need any help?" Ivy's smile fades and she turns away. Tripp gets out of the car "I heard about the, uh, big campus accident on my scanner. Sounds like some people got hurt or something"

Ivy tries to reassure him "I'm fine."

"Actually, you're bleeding, you might be in shock"

"Please. Just. Go" she pleaded.

"I don't think" Ivy turns, veins crawling underneath her eyes and zips forward to bite him but there are tranquilliser gunshots. She falls limp, and he drags her toward his car, he dumps her inside. Brie witnesses the whole scene, her eyes wide from her car.

—

Stefan opens the door and steps inside. His eyes are sad, he sighs and takes a swig of bourbon straight from the bottle. "Ahh" He laughs bitterly " is happening. I'm gonna talk out loud to a... a crypt filled with my dead family" His eyes search around the crypt "Everyone but you, Damon. Because wherever you are, it's not here" He takes a seat on a small bench. "I gotta say, I'm not doing so great without you. I keep trying to start over, but... I can't get anywhere. Because I'm lost, brother. I'm lost" He gets up angrily and tosses the bottle of Bourbon when suddenly, a hand catches the bottle. It's Damon. Stefan's eyes widen.

"So what? Gone a couple of months, you think it's okay to waste a perfectly good bottle of bourbon?" He takes a swig of the drink "Ahh" Stefan stares, shocked, not quite believing his eyes.

"Damon?"

"Yep. In the flesh" Damon smiles.

Stefan was still shell shocked "How am I seeing you right now?"

Damon's face becomes serious "Because I'm not dead, Stefan. I mean, this stuff's good, but it's not "I see dead people" good. Heh" He slowly walks toward Stefan. Face serious. Stefan is frozen, eyes wide and red, rimmed with tears "Heh. It's a hell of a long story, brother, but I'm back. I'm back" Stefan reaches out and touches Damon's shoulder. "Yeah" When Stefan's face scrunches up as if he is about to cry, he pulls Damon into a hug. A tight one, and Damon wraps his arms around Stefan "I'm back, Stefan" Stefan holds tight onto Damon, eyes scrunching shut in repressed emotion.


	27. Chapter 27

Tripp drives down the dark winding road toward Mystic Falls with three vampires in the back of his van. One of them is Ivy and she is in a full panic as she cries and begs Tripp to release her

"Please, just let me go!"

" I know this may seem a little barbaric." Ivy cries desperately and continues pulling on her chains "I promise you, it's nothing personal" The other two vampires in the back also try to get free.

"Why are you doing this?"

"it's a longer story then we have time for, but trust me you don't want this life. If you even call it that" He turns up the radio

Ivy pulls on the chains anxiously "Come on, come on, come on, come on!"The chains finally loosen, but she runs out of time as Tripp's van passes the sign which reads "Welcome to Mystic Falls as they pass over the anti-magic border. All of the vampires are immediately affected one vampire's throat slits itself as blood pours from his mouth and he frantically grabs at his neck as he relives his death "What is happening?" She screams in horror as she watches the other vampire, who died from a gunshot wound to the head, get a bullet wound to his forehead and die "What is happening!?" She screams again in fright, just as her neck snaps, killing her. Tripp closes the window in the partition separating the front of the van from the back, and he continues driving through Mystic Falls with three dead vampires in the back of his vehicle.

In the Salvatore Mausoleum, the scene picks up where the previous episode left off, with Damon and Stefan hugging each other " I missed you too, buddy"

"I can't believe it" They pull apart "I thought you were gone."

Damon smiles "Well, you didn't think I was gone gone! I promised you an eternity of misery"

—

Elena paces in front of Brie, who is sitting on her bed. Elena has her arms folded, and she is clearly not happy.

Elena looks confused "He's back?" Brie nods in confirmation "How?"

"I don't know. Honestly everything Stefan said after "Damon's back" is kind of a blur"

Elena looks hopeful "What about Bonnie?"

—

Damon starts talking about Bonnie "She sacrificed herself so I could come back. But, I don't want anyone to know. No sense making this harder than it already is"

"What are we going to tell people?"

—

Brie says quietly "He said she wasn't over there"

"Where is "there," exactly?" Elena raises an eyebrow.

—

Stefan looks confused "Mystic Falls? 1994?"

" I know. If a bunch of witches were going to get together and create some space-time purgatory, you'd think they'd pick a better year than the one Kurt Cobain killed himself in. The whole thing was just very depressing" He takes a swig from the bottle of bourbon.

"So, how did you get back?"

Damon sighs " Long story, big flash of light, two decades worth of jet lag. I will explain all of my adventures in that flannel hells-cape, but first, there's someone I got to go see" He heads toward the door, grasping Stefan's shoulders affectionately as he does so.

—

Alaric is standing behind his desk and talking to Matt, who is sitting in a chair across from him, and Brie, who is clearly angry and is standing near Matt with her arms folded across her chest. " Why didn't you tell us Enzo has been locked up this whole time?"

Matt shrugs his shoulders "Honestly, I didn't know anybody was missing him"

Brie looks incredulously "Matt!"

"I'm sorry! I was confused about which vampires we like and which ones we don't!"

Brie sighs "Okay. Well, what about Ivy? Is she there, too?"

"Tripp drove her and two others across the border last night" Matt said looking grimly.

Brie sighs "Oh, God"

"Well, do you know where Tripp is now?" Brie sits down next to Matt

"He's running down another lead, but he didn't tell me what it was"

"Well, can you find out? We need to know who his next target is"

"If Enzo talks, it'll be you guys"

Brie looks confident "Well, that's not going to happen, because we're busting him out, right? And if for no other reason than so I can kick his ass for getting caught in the first place"

Alaric looks at Matt "You have any idea how he managed to get his hands on him?"

Stefan enters the office and joins them, looking guilty "He didn't. I turned him in" Brie and Alaric stare at Stefan in shock and disbelief.

Elena is getting ready for her shift at the hospital. She puts her uniform in her bag when she hears a knock at the door. She instinctively heads toward the door to answer it and calls out before she opens it and reaches for the doorknob "Who is it?"

"Hey, its me" Damon says softly as Elena immediately pulls her hand away, stopping herself from opening the door "I just wanted to talk"

Damon leans against the door from the outside as Elena stares at it, clearly scared and torn as to what to do.

Elena shakes her head " I can't. Not now"

Damon sighs "Look. I know why you did what you did. It's not real. You know what's real? The way you felt for me. You once told me it was the most real thing you ever felt in your life"

Elena gulps nervously "Those feelings are gone"

"Oh, come on, Elena. You've compelled enough people to know it's just a way of covering the truth. And, no matter how badly you want it done, it doesn't make it any less of a lie, you know" She slowly reaches for the door knob "Oh, I hear you breathing" She gasps and backs away from the door again "You have no idea how long I've wanted to hear you breathe" She sighs and puts her hand on the door as she leans against it, and outside in the hall, Damon leans against the door as well, placing his own hand on the same spot as Elena's "Just open the door, Elena. Everything can go back to the way it was" She pulls her hand away as he jiggles the doorknob, realising the door is locked "Just" He sighs as he leans his head against the door "Just open the door, Elena, please? Or, at the very least, step aside, because I'm gonna kick this door in" She unlocks the door, and Damon hears it click. He turns the knob hopefully, and she stands there for a moment as though she's finally ready to see him. However, when he begins to open the door, she loses her nerve and vamp-speeds out the window. When he finally enters the room, Elena is gone, and he looks around the empty room and notes the curtains blowing in the breeze of the open window as he sighs.

Brie is on her cell phone with Elena as he walks across the quad. Elena is at Whitmore Medical Centre, pacing nervously around the halls before her shift starts

"You seriously jumped out of a window? What if somebody saw you?" Brie asked in disbelief.

Elena sighs "know, I know. I panicked. I don't know..."

"Look. He's been trapped over there alone for months. He just wants to see you"

" Look. I get how I'm supposed to feel, but I know how I actually feel, and I'm happy now. What if I look at him and my old feelings break through the compulsion?"

"Well, they won't. But even if they did, is that such a bad thing?" Brie questioned.

Elena sighs "Yeah. I started over just like you did, okay? I made a smart choice for myself and for my future" She hesitates for a moment "Brie, I kissed Liam last night"

Brie groans "Oh, please forget that you told me that. And definitely do not tell Damon that"

"Because he's gonna kill him, right? Just like he killed my brother!"

"I was gonna say because he'll be heartbroken. Listen, what do you want to do? I mean, you have to see him eventually"

"I know, but I just don't think eventually can be today, all right?" Elena spots Jo walking to a nearby hospital room and putting her cup of coffee on a cart just outside of it "I'm not-I'm just not ready" Jo looks at some x-rays before she enters the room" I got to go" She hangs up, shoves the phone in her pocket and quickly walks toward the cart, lifting the lid off the coffee before she quickly takes a sip. She's surprised when she realises it has no vervain in it, but when she sees Jo about to return, she quickly puts the coffee back and tries to play it cool.

Jo looks surprised "Elena.I didn't think you were here today."

"Yeah, no... I changed my schedule around"

Jo sips her coffee "Okay. Follow me"

Stefan and Brie walk through the woods toward Tripp's cabin as they bicker with each other. Brie is clearly still angry with Stefan after everything he's done since Damon died, including turning in Enzo.

"Look, Enzo wasn't being careful. Tripp would've caught him eventually, and that meant danger for all of us"

"Right. So, you handed Enzo over so we wouldn't be targeted, and now you're rescuing him so we won't be targeted. Way to go" Brie says sarcastically.

"Well, I thought Tripp was gonna kill him. I didn't think he was going to keep him alive for information"

Brie sarcastically says "Oh. Well, in that case, sounds like you were just being practical. So, did you rat out Ivy, too?"

Stefan looks confused "What?"

"Well, you didn't want to deal with her anymore. You wanted her gone, and now she is. You know what, you really should write Tripp a thank-you note"

Stefan looks offended "Hold on a second! Enzo turns Ivy, right? A hunter kills her, and yet I'm the bad guy? I'm not the one threatening to turn in other vampires to save his own skin"

Brie looks annoyed "The only one who turned in other vampires is you, Stefan. That's why you're helping- guilt for getting Damon's friend captured"

Stefan nods "Yeah. Damon is my brother, and I gave up on him first. Enzo didn't, so if rescuing his idiot friend is gonna somehow make it up to him, that's exactly what I'm gonna do"

"Great. Good for you. Let me know when you figure out how you're gonna make everything up to me" They finally arrive at Tripp's cabin just as the doors start to open. Stefan's eyes widen in horror as he grabs Brie by the arm and vamp-speeds them out of sight. They crouch down low behind a large crate and wait as they keep an eye on the cabin. Two hunters come out of the door, who suspiciously look around the area before locking up the cabin and leaving. Once they're gone, Stefan and Brie share a significant look "Let's get in there" They make their way inside the cabin, only to find it completely empty. Enzo is gone "Well, where the hell is he?"

Matt's cell phone buzzes, and when he sees it's Brie, he answers it "Hey, Care. Did you get him?

"No. Enzo is not here. Any idea where Tripp might have taken him, besides the very obvious one?"

Sarah picks the lock on the drawer, and she and Matt start to go through it. It contains several wallets, credit cards, and a cell phone which Sarah pulls out. Matt looks nervous, still on the phone with Brie "Hang on, let me see that" He takes the phone from Sarah and looks through it, revealing a photograph of Ivy as the wallpaper. When he checks the recent calls, he sees that she had a missed call from "Brianna Colace" and looks anxious "Brie, we have another problem- Tripp has Ivy's phone"

Brie looks confused "And? I mean the guy is a murderer, petty theft isn't much of a stretch"

"Yeah, but your name is at the top of the "recent dialed" list"

Brie's mouth widened "Oh, my God. He knows what I am"

"I'm guessing he knows where to find you"

Damon sits down on the bed and picks up a beautiful framed photo of Bonnie on Elena's nightstand. He smiles and takes out his phone before dialling Bonnie's number. It goes to voicemail "It's Bonnie. Leave me a message" Beep

Damon scoffs "That's it? That's your outgoing message. Really? I mean, the one time I'm actively seeking the sound of your voice, that's all I get? Perfect. Hmm... Anyway, I'm in your room which is a lot less weird than it sounds but I just wanted to say that because of what you did for me, today is the day I get to see Elena. So thank you, and I'm sorry. Other than that, I don't know what to say, or what I'm supposed to say except that, defying all possible global scenarios, I might miss you a little bit" Damon's phone beeps. He looks at the screen to see that Elena is calling him "Ooh, hey, I got to go" He switches over to answer Elena's call "So, you didn't forget my number. That's a good start."

Elena walks down the street "Yeah, I figured that I'd press the Damon button and see what happened"

"And what is happening?"

"I don't know. I don't even know what I'm doing. I just- I'm thinking we should meet face-to-face. I can't run from you forever, so come by my dorm?"

Damon looks excited "Yeah! Yeah I'll be here, there, I'll be there, absolutely, in a bit. See you in a little bit"

"Okay" She hangs up. Damon, clearly nervous, gets up from the bed and returns the photo to the nightstand. He cleans up the room a little bit before fixing his hair in the mirror. After a moment, the door opens, and Damon assumes its Elena, not noticing right away that it is actually Tripp, who is holding a vervain dart gun

"Well, that was fast—" Damon turns and sees Tripp and immediately vamps-out when he sees the gun. Tripp pulls the trigger, but Damon easily catches the dart in his fingers before throwing it forcefully back at Tripp, hitting him in the thigh with it

Tripp groans and grabs his knee "Ah!" Tripp then attempts to throw a stake at Damon, but he catches it and vamp-speeds over to Tripp, grabbing him in a choke-hold and holding the stake under his jaw.

"Who are you?" Suddenly, a series of vervain darts are shot from behind Damon, embedding themselves in his back and instantly weakening behind Damon, a dart gun fires into his back a couple of times. Damon groans "Ugh!" Damon unintentionally releases Tripp and turns to see the two other hunters who shot him before he collapses onto the floor. Everything goes black around him.

Some time later, Elena walks down the hallway toward her room, but stops when she sees that her dorm room's door is cracked open. She slowly pushes the door open all the way only to find the room is empty and otherwise untouched, aside from the fact that Damon's phone is laying on the floor next to several droplets of blood. Elena is horrified "Damon!"

Damon wakes up in the back of Tripp's van, where he's chained by the wrists and ankles to the floor. As he starts to take in his new environment, he realises Enzo is sitting across from him, also chained to the floor. Damon groans "Ugh..."

"Morning, sunshine"

"Enzo?" Damon looks to see the chains on his wrists "Well, this brings back memories"

"I'm glad to see you found a way back, mate. 'Fraid it's going to be a short reunion, though. We're headed for Mystic Falls, known for it's bridges, quaint small-town charm, and a really big vampire bug-zapper"

Damon pulls at the chains in annoyance, trying to break free "Stefan could've told me there was a hunter in town"

" It probably slipped his mind because he's responsible for my return to incarceration"

Damon looks confused "Why would he do that?"

"Probably jealous of my accent" Enzo shrugs "Eh, maybe he did it because I killed his new girlfriend"

"Yeah that'll do it"

Elena drives herself and Brie down the road, and the tires screech as the car comes to a sudden stop just outside the Mystic Falls city limits. Elena isn't really paying attention to what Brie is saying. She's staring off into the distance, clearly daydreaming. Brie bends down next to the wheels of the SUV "Do you have a preference? Front? Back?" Elena leans against the car, still staring straight ahead "No? Okay" She pops one of the tires, and the air explodes from inside it, causing the car to sink down. Elena turns to face her "I think this sells a spin-out" Elena turns back again toward the dark road "What do you think? Elena?"

Elena takes a deep breath "I want my memories back"

"Wait. What?" Elena turns to face her.

"I made up my mind. If Damon survives this, then I want Alaric to un-compel me. I mean, I can't imagine ever loving him, but I also can't ignore the parts I don't like just to avoid the truth. I mean how could I make any decisions if I only know half the story?" Brie rubs her arm affectionately, and they turn to face the road ahead of them, waiting for Tripp's arrival.

Alaric and Stefan have parked their car on the edge of Mystic Falls on Route 9, the only other way out of town. The sign by their car reads "You Are Now Leaving Mystic Falls, Come Again Soon." They are also pretending to have car trouble while they wait for Tripp's potential arrival. Stefan pops the hood and starts anxiously pulling out pieces of the engine while Alaric watches him in concern.

"You don't have to take apart the whole engine. We just need to lure Tripp in so we can grab him" Stefan continues taking the engine apart "You know, it's not your fault"

"Pretty much is" Stefan looks unhappy.

"Look, you're not the only one who gave up. You know, every second for the last four months, all I could think about was when I'm gonna get my next sip of blood when am I gonna screw up and hurt somebody why did I come back to life just to be this thing. That I used to hunt vampires, and suddenly I was one. Searching for Damon was the only thing that could take my mind off of it, but I was basically going through the motions as a distraction because... honestly, Stefan? I'd given up, too" Alaric spots headlights approaching "There"

Stefan turns to follow Alaric's eye-line "That's him"

"You should stay in the car. He knows what you look like"

"He thinks I'm on his side"

"Yeah, unless Enzo told him different. Go tell Elena he's here" Stefan gets in the car as Alaric approaches Tripp's slowing vehicle, waving his arms over his head and whistling to get his attention. Tripp's van slows to a halt, and inside the back of the van, Damon and Enzo can hear Tripp and Alaric talking.

"Evening" Tripp rolls his window down partially to hear him better "I'm trying to get my buddy to a bachelor party, and our car just stopped. You think you can, uh, help us out?"

"Oh, I don't know anything about cars" Tripp shakes his head.

"Yeah... Oh well, maybe you could give us a ride then?"

Inside the van, Enzo is looking at Damon in confusion "Who's that?"

"Ric. He's up to something. Better be something good, bastard owes me"

"Sorry, in a bit of a hurry"

"Yeah. So are we" Alaric punches through the glass of the window, shattering it. Tripp instinctively ducks back to avoid the broken glass, but Alaric grabs Tripp by the collar and punches him in the face.

"Uh! Ooh!" He groans and grabs his vervain gun, shooting Alaric in the shoulder with it. Alaric holds onto the side of the vehicle and runs alongside the car as Tripp slams down on the gas, heading straight for Stefan's car. Stefan, on his cell phone, looks up just in time to see the approaching vehicle. He vamp-speeds out of the car just before Tripp's van crashes into it. The van flips over, flying through the air and crashing over the Mystic Falls sign, eventually landing upside down. Alaric is thrown off the vehicle.

"Ugh! Ugh! Uh!" He groans as he hits the ground within Mystic Falls and rolls to a stop. Meanwhile, in the back of Tripp's overturned van, Damon groans as his gunshot wound appears in his chest from where he was originally killed. Enzo's skin is pale as he begins spitting and coughing up blood.

Stefan looks at the wreckage in shock and horror from outside the anti-magic boundary line, still on the phone with Elena, who sounds extremely worried. "Stefan? Stefan, what's happening?"

"Damon and Alaric are across the border. I got to go" He hangs up and looks around, trying to figure out what to do

Elena whispers "Oh, my God."

On the ground past the boundary, Alaric is coughing up blood, and a large stab wound has appeared on his chest where he was stabbed by Esther when he originally died. It is bleeding profusely and soaking his shirt. Stefan looks at the sign that says "Welcome to Mystic Falls" before staring straight ahead at the overturned van, finally making a decision as to what to do. He steels himself and walks forward purposefully and eventually crosses the border, which causes his own gunshot wound to appear on his chest. He falls forward, clutching his stomach in pain, but forces himself to keep going so he can save Alaric, Damon and Stefan

Stefan groans "Agh! Ugh! Agh! Ah!" He pants and presses forward, picking up a crow bar on the road and walking toward the van. Inside the van, the spirit magic that makes Damon and Enzo vampires is slowly being ripped away. Damon and Enzo are both in agony and bleeding

"I came back for this?" He looks up at Enzo and watches him in concern as he spits up blood.

"Consumption. Wasn't much fun the first time around, either" Stefan uses the crow bar to break into the back of Tripp's van to save them. Outside in the grass, Alaric is dying from his stab wound, too hurt and weakened to get up and move out of the town's borders, when Jo appears and runs over to him.

She falls to her knees beside him and immediately starts applying pressure to his chest wound. "it's okay, I'm here. I followed you like a crazy stalker. Not one of my finer moments"

In Tripp's van, Stefan has finally gotten the doors open and goes to help Damon, but he stops him and points to Enzo. "No, no. Get him!" Stefan uses the crow bar to get Enzo loose from the chains that are attached to the top of the van. He then gets Damon loose. Tripp comes out of the front of his vehicle, blood gushing from his head. Instead of facing off with the vampires he tried to kill, he runs away. Damon, Stefan and Enzo struggle to get out of the van despite their injuries. In the grass, Alaric is gasping and panting as he spits up blood while Jo tries to help him medically

"You have to get me across the border" Jo pulls medical supplies out of her bag "it's stripping away the magic. I'll die"

"You'll die if I move you. I have to stop the bleeding. You nicked your descending aorta"

Alaric nods "I know. That's what killed me"

Jo holding up a package "And you didn't have me back then, did you?" She rips it open with her teeth "And, you didn't have homeostatic gauze"

Enzo and Damon are still struggling to get out of Tripp's van. Stefan is pushing them along. Eventually, he links one of his arms with each of theirs and pulls them down the road as they grasps their stomachs and cough up blood "Get up! Come on, get up!" Finally they reach the safety zone. Enzo and Damon drop to the ground, coughing, panting, groaning and trying to catch their breaths as their wounds heal. Stefan turns back toward Mystic Falls, knowing Alaric is still in the borders of Mystic Falls. Jo continues working to save him while Alaric lays on the ground.

Alaric looks anxious "What's happening?"

"You still with me? While I'm sealing this wound" She applies more gauze to his bloody chest, her hand covered in his blood "Iwant you to think about how you tried to compel one of the smartest women on campus to forget about her date with you. The date where I single-handedly saved dozens of lives without smearing my makeup" She works quickly and Alaric gasps for breath "Alaric? Hang on! Stay with me. Come on" She starts performing chest compressions "Gonna get that heart pumping" He gasps again "You don't get to have the last word with me, Alaric!" Alaric stops moving, his eyes now closed "Alaric!"

She screams his name and continues performing CPR, but Alaric doesn't move. From outside the border, Stefan and Damon both watch helplessly, not recovered enough to go back to save him. Damon rips his hands free from his chains and watches Jo work on Alaric, his eyes wide in shock and horror. Jo continues chest compressions, unwilling to give up "Stay with me! Come on!" Suddenly Alaric's head snaps up, his eyes open and he gasps for air. Jo is momentarily startled, then relieved "Ah!"

From outside the border, Stefan breathes a sigh of relief. Back inside the border, Alaric looks around, clearly shaken and confused "So-so-something's wrong"

Jo strokes his face " Don't move"

"No, something's wrong. I'm not supposed to be alive"

"There's no reason you shouldn't be! I sealed the wound. We just have to get you to the hospital" He breathes heavily and rests his head back on the grass, unable to believe what just happened)

Brie is on the phone, standing on the side of the road just outside of Mystic Falls, while Stefan updates her on what happened. Brie looks shocked "Yeah, I'll tell her. Thanks" She hangs up as Elena vamp-speeds up to her, coming from the opposite direction.

"I was just on Route 9, and there was a crash, but they weren't there"

" Yeah, I know. They had to get out of there" Brie looks down at the ground.

Elena looks worried "What happened?"

Brie sighs "Uh, Stefan said that, um..." She stares at Elena, not able to find the words

Elena looks anxious "What, Brianna? What?"

"Alaric crossed the border... but Jo was there, and she saved him"

Elena looks relieved "So he's okay? That means he's okay, right?"

Elena gives Brie a look when she doesn't answer right away "Yeah, Elena, he's okay"

"Then why do you have that look on your face? What happened, Brie?"

Brie sighs "All the magic stripped away, but Jo saved him just before he died"

Elena doesn't understand "What? I don't know what that means, Brie"

"Alaric is not a vampire anymore, Elena. He's human" Elena is shocked and troubled by this news when she realises what this means.

Stefan and Damon sit at a table drinking bourbon at a bar near Whitmore where Stefan listens while Damon rants. " I was this close. This close"

" I know. I'm sorry"

Damon takes a drink of his bourbon, clearly annoyed "Oh, I got it. Everybody's sorry. You're sorry you gave up on me. Sorry you turned Enzo into that hunter guy. Ric's sorry for the compulsion. I'm sure if Elena could remember anything. she'd be sorry too"

"You've gotta understand how hard it was for her"

" I am so tired of hearing how hard it was for her. It was hard for me as well" Damon groans in frustration

"At least you knew you had a home to come back to. She didn't have anything. To her, you were just gone"

" Guess I still am. Ric said she's happy without me since she's erased me. You know what? I don't want her to be happy. I want her to be miserable, just like I am"

Stefan rolls his eyes "You done?"

Damon nods his head "Yeah. I'm done"

"Good. Now, quit stalling. There's a girl you need to go see" Stefan says about to leave but stops when Damon talks.

"What if it doesn't work? What if what we had isn't strong enough to break the compulsion?"

"You're not going to find out just sitting there, are you?"

Damon thinks about it for a moment, then finishes his drink "Here goes everything" Damon leaves.

Stefan sighs and sits alone at the table until he spots Brie walking down the street. He quickly leaves the restaurant to catch up to her. "Hey"

Brie turns toward him "Hey. So, am I your last stop on the Stefan Salvatore Apology Tour?"

Stefan sighs "Could we just get past this, please?"

Brie shrugs her shoulder " I'm trying to"

"Look, Brie. What do you want me to do, huh? Stop making me guess and tell me so we can go back to being friends again"

" Yeah, well you know, that's the thing, Stefan after all of this, I don't want to be friends anymore" She walks away, leaving him alone on the street. He sighs and shoves his hands back in his pockets

Damon walks down the hallway toward Elena's room. Inside Elena's room, she goes through the box of Damon's things she retrieved from Alaric's office. She pulls out her diary, which holds a strip of photographs of the two of them together. She pulls the strip out and looks at it. Damon continues toward Elena's room as Elena pulls out Damon's black leather jacket from inside the box. Damon reaches Elena's door and knocks. Elena takes a deep breath, pausing for a moment as Damon waits anxiously at the door. Elena hesitantly walks toward it, reaches for the doorknob, and slowly opens the door to face Damon. After four months of Damon being gone, the two finally get a chance to see each other face to face. Their eyes meet, and they stare at each other.


	28. Chapter 28

In New Orleans, Sophie chops up vegetables while she talks to Sabine, who is sitting on one of the tables. When Sophie sees her sitting on the kitchen prep table, she gestures toward her and makes a face " I cook on that, you know!"

"Don't get cranky with me! I'm the only witch who still likes you"

Sophie stirs her gumbo before turning to Sabine "Yeah, it's not like I'm trying to save the witch heritage or anything."

"They'll come around. They're just old-school. And scared"

Sophie scoffs "Scared of what? Your prophecy about the hybrid baby? Agnes and her freak-show minions had a real field day with that one"

Sabine shakes her head " I can't help what I see, Soph"

Sophie smiles "Well, if you're psychic, I'm Martha Stewart!" She walks toward table to grab some celery "Scotch!" Sophie returns to her table, and Sabine hops down to join her. She sees a shadow in her peripheral vision and gets suspicious. Suddenly, two people in black masks come out and lunge toward them

"What the...?" One of the masked people backhands Sabine across the face, and she as she falls, she hits her head on the table and falls unconscious. Sophie tries to fight the other two masked people off, but they blow some powder in her face that makes her pass out as well.

Rebekah scrubs at the bloodstains in the carpet while Klaus continues to read "A Poison Tree." "Poetry about poisoned apples from dead trees. Looks like someone's worried about impending daddy-hood"

Klaus shakes head "Nonsense. Elijah's back. In his presence, all problems turn to pixie-dust and float away!"

Rebekah side-eyes him and grins, and Klaus grins back. Elijah hears them talking about him and joins them in the living room "Strange, I don't recall any pixie-dust from the darkness of the coffin I was recently forced to endure" Elijah opens Esther's grimoire and flips through it

Rebekah puts her hands on her hips "What are you doing with Mother's spell book?"

"Well, in exchange for my freedom, I promised the witch Davina that I would share a few pages from Mother's grimoire to help her learn to control her magic. I thought we'd begin with a little un-linking spell" Rebekah and Klaus look at each other in confusion.

Rebekah looks stunned "Wait, you want to use her to un-link Brianna from Sophie Deveraux?"

"Sophie brought us here under false pretences! She doesn't just want us to take down Marcel and his minions, she wants to take Davina back. So, she yolked her own cause to ours with magic threats and half-truths! Well, no more. As of now, our deal with Sophie Deveraux is null and void" Klaus and Rebekah smile wryly at each other "Niklaus, I need you to come with me. I need five minutes alone with Davina. You need to make certain that I am not interrupted" He points to Rebekah and thinks for a moment before giving his order "You stay here incase Brianna calls in case of an emergency" He turns and leaves the house.

Rebekah looks annoyed "How did I get elected super-nanny?"

"More importantly, who put him in charge?" Klaus reluctantly follows Elijah out of the house.

Back in Mystic Falls Brie and Elena sit on a blanket on the Whitmore campus

"You didn't feel anything?" Brie asked as her and Elena were talking about last night.

"I felt scared and guilty, and his eyes were really, really blue and pretty, but no. I don't remember loving him"

"So you don't remember. So be it" Brie shrugs it off.

Elena raises an eyebrow "That's your advice?"

"Well, Elena, look at your life right now. You're doing well in school, you're following your dreams, you met Liam, who also has very pretty eyes, not mention he's never killed your brother" Elena nodded in agreement as Brie continues "I mean, I just gave Stefan the friend boot. Maybe a little break from the Salvatore brothers is in the cards for the both of us" Brie's phone starts ringing and she see's it's Rebekah "I got to go. I'll see you later" She gets up and walks off before picking up her phone "Rebekah? Whats wrong?"

"Cant I phone to make sure my niece and the mother who's carrying her? Anyways I called to say that Elijah and Nik are away to see Davina apparently Elijah and the witch have a deal and she is going to try and unlink you to Sophie"

Brie sighs in relief "That is the most wonderful news Ive received since I came back to Mystic Falls. It will defiantly put my mind to ease when I am unlinked from Sophie. The sooner I'm unlinked the sooner I can kill her for putting me and my baby in harm"

"You might not have to. Nik will probably do it for you since who knows you'll come back"

Brie feels guilt as Rebekah responded "I will come back Rebekah, I don't know when but it will be before the baby is born"

Rebekah sighs "I hope so. I will not miss the birth of my niece, if I do then Sophie and the witches wont be your only problem" Rebekah playfully threatened.

"You haven't changed at all Rebekah" Brie giggles until she see's Stefan walks up to her. "I'll call you back Rebekah" Brie hangs up then looks back at him, then away "That's weird"

"What's weird?"

"None of your business. We're not friends anymore, which means you can't just show up unannounced at my door. Good-bye" Brie walks away but gets pulled back by Stefan.

"Hey, Brie. Look. You're not safe. Tripp's men still have your name"

"So, what? You here to protect me? News flash! I don't need your protection, and more importantly, I don't want it" Brie phone rings and she answers it "Hey, Liz. Can I call you back? I'm trying to get a piece of gum off of my shoe"

"Actually, Brianna, this can't wait. Do you have any idea where Tripp Cook might be?"

"Tripp? No. I have no idea. Why?"

"Because one of his men just ran me off the road, and they're gonna kill me if they don't get him back"

Brie is in the passenger seat while Stefan drives "Answer your phone, Enzo!" Leaving a voicemail for Enzo.

Stefan looks at her "Well, don't worry. We're almost there"

"We're almost there? You said, two hours and then kill him. Do you even remember how long ago you said that? I mean, what kind of person sets a ticking clock without setting his watch?" Brie's phone rings and she answers it "Tell me that Tripp is still alive"

"Tripp is still alive, surprisingly torture-resistant but alive" Enzo says on the other end of the phone.

Brie raises an eyebrow "What took you so long to answer your phone?"

"My fingers were covered in blood, and the touchscreen wouldn't work" Enzo smirks.

Brie sighs " Just don't kill him, ok? One of his guys took Caroline's mum, so just keep your hands off of him so I can get her back, ok? Enzo, please"

—

Brie and Stefan enter as Enzo turns around and smiled at Brie "Hello, gorgeous"

"What did you do to him?"

"Oh, he's fine. Just a little blood loss. I think he may have an iron deficiency problem"

Stefan rolls his eyes "Knock it off. Caroline's mom's life is on the line"

Enzo turns to Stefan "Hang on. Just so I'm clear. All Brie had to do to get you to treat her with a modicum of respect, is to stop paying attention to you. Is that how this works?"

"Shut up, Enzo. And did he really need 3 chains? I mean, who is this guy, the Hulk?"

"Well, I didn't restrain him"

Brie shakes her head "No, but you let your sidekick Enzo do it because what could go wrong when you team up with your sworn enemy?"

"Oh. That's brilliant. Of course that's why she hates you. That's how you worked her into such a state in Savannah. That's why she told you to go take a leap. She hates you because she doesn't hate you at all"

"I'm sorry. Are you still talking?"

"She got a thing for you, mate" Enzo looks at Brie "Tell LizI send my best" Enzo leaves; Brie and Stefan share an awkward silence.

"Whatever he just said, it will never be discussed again, ok?" Brie said looking awkward.

—

Caroline waits in the road with Brie as another car pulls up at the border

"They're here" Stefan gets Tripp out of the car; Matt gets out the other side. Men get out of the other car, one pointing a gun at the sheriff

"Mom?" Caroline runs towards the border.

"Caroline, stop! The border" Matt runs after her.

Caroline looks down at her mom's wound "You're bleeding? What'd you do to her?"

"I'm fine" Liz reassures Caroline.

"Ok. Let's do this. Let her go, and you can have him" Matt tried to negotiate with the man.

"Tripp first" Man said pointing the gun at Matt.

"Let her go, or I'll kill you"

"Sweetheart, it's ok. Stefan, let Tripp go" Stefan releases Tripp, who walks over to the men

"He's across. Now let her go" The man lets the sheriff go and she walks across the border. Tripp crosses the border; he has a strange look on his face.

Matt runs over "Are you ok?"

"What's happening to me?" A huge slice across Tripp's throat suddenly appears; he collapses as Matt watches, horrified.

"Oh, my God" Matt watches Tripp die as he exsanguinate; he turns toward Stefan and Caroline.

"What the hell did you do?" Matt said grimly.

Stefan shakes his head "Wasn't me. Enzo must have turned him into a vampire before we got there"

—

Caroline hovers over her mom at Whitmore Medical Centre "This is totally unnecessary"

"You hit your head. You could have a concussion, and I know better than to trust that you're going to take yourself for a checkup back home" Caroline turns to Stefan "You can go now. We're fine"

"Sweetheart, could you at least just check and see how long the wait is gonna be?"

"Gladly" Caroline smiles at her and Stefan leave the room but returns with a nurse a few minutes after. "I'll be right outside, ok?"

Stefan walks down the corridor and see's Brie sitting down in the waiting room. He decides to walk up to her but when she see's him she stands up "How is she?"

"She's holding up. Caroline is away getting the nurse" Brie nods "Ok. Um... Why did you have a thing for me?"

Brie groans "We said that we would never talk about this again, so just..."

Stefan interrupts her "Look, Brie, please just talk to me. Tell me how, tell me why. Please just make me understand how it is that I missed it"

Brie gives him a weird look "What kind of a stupid question is that? Why did I have a thing for you? I don't know, Stefan. Maybe it's because I thought you worth having a thing for, because when I woke up as a vampire you told me that I would get through it and I did, because when I watched Elena move on with your brother I couldn't imagine why she would let anyone like you go, because you were practically my best friend, because I trusted you."

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for not seeing it, I'm sorry for not..."

"Feeling it back?" Brie questioned.

Stefan shakes his head l No. I didn't say that. Look. I don't know what I felt. You know, my head was all over the place, but I am incredibly sorry for the way that I treated you."

"Yeah. Well I know what you felt, Stefan, because even if just a little tiny piece of you felt for me what I was starting to feel for you, you wouldn't have walked away, and I don't hate you for that. I don't hate you for mourning your brother, I don't hate you for being the biggest jerk on the planet while doing so, and I accept your apology"

"But you do still hate me" Stefan says looking down at the ground.

Brie nods "Yeah, I hate you because if I don't hate you for ruining our friendship, then I have to hate myself for ruining it, and I think that I deserve better than that" Brie walks away, leaving Stefan behind.

—

In New Orleans, Davina is sketching with charcoal on her easel in her bedroom in the attic when Elijah arrives and leans against the doorway as he knocks on the door. Davina smiles at him as he holds up several pages of Esther's grimoire wrapped in a cloth.

"I made you a promise"

Davina looks excited "Come in!"

Davina spreads one of the pages of Esther's grimoire on her table and reads it. Elijah holds an elaborately woven knot of rope in his hands "It's a spell of unknotting?"

Elijah holds up the knot "This is a sanguinum knot. The witches use it as representational magic. If you can unknot this using that spell, you will have taken a step towards learning control. This is one of my mother's later spells. It requires much more power than you realise. Now, if you can perform this, then I shall return with another page" He walks toward the door, then turns back to her "A spell of your choosing, next time" Elijah smiles at Davina warmly before he leaves. Davina looks at the spell and the knot on her table.

Sophie has just awakened in one of the cemetery's many mausoleums and is struggling against the grip of the masked men who knocked her out. The men shackle Sophie's wrists to chains that hang from the ceiling "Let go of me!"

Agnes enters the crypt with a bag and sets it on a table "Leave her be"

Sophie looks appalled "Killing me to get to Klaus or his baby is not the answer!"

Agnes roots through her bag "I'm not gonna kill you Sophie, I was there the day you were born. I am the last remaining Elder of our coven. It is my duty to protect our power, and our power means nothing if that baby grows another day" She turns to face Sophie "Sabine's omen was clear. That baby will bring death to us all"

Sophie scared "What are you gonna do?"

Agnes holds up a large, old-looking metal syringe with a long needle. Sophie seems to recognise it, because the sight terrifies her, and she desperately tries to back away despite being chained up.

"No, no, Agnes, no. No, no, don't!" Agnes holds Sophie's head to the side and stabs the needle into her neck.

—

In her bedroom, Brie suddenly yelps in pain and instinctively grabs her neck. When she pulls her hand away, she notices blood on her fingers from a small puncture wound that is already starting to heal. She looks scared as she grabs her phone and calls Rebekah.

"Rebekah whats happening Sophie? Is she okay?" Brie asked holding the puncture wound.

"What do you mean?" Rebekah said looking worried.

"I felt like I was being stabbed" Brie and Rebekah both get a dawning realisation that something bad is happening.

"You need to come back to New Orleans now!" Rebekah ordered and Brie didn't argue she just nodded.

"On my way" Brie said before hanging up the phone.

Elijah and Klaus have just rushed into the back room, where they find a just-now-awakening Sabine on the floor of the kitchen. Elijah helps her up

"What happened?" Elijah asks, gruffly.

"It was Agnes" She rubs head and groans as she looks around "Her men took Sophie"

Klaus sighs "Day one with you in charge, brother, and already the witch linked to Brie has been abducted by zealots"

Elijah looks at Sabine "Where is she?"

Sabine shakes her head "If I tell you where Agnes is, you'll just kill her. Look, I know she's a little coo-coo, but she's our last living Elder. That might not mean a lot to you, but it means plenty to us. The Elders are the only ones who can do important spells"

"Like completing the Harvest ritual?" Elijah questioned.

Sabine looks at him confused "You know about that?"

"Oh, you'd be astounded by the things I know"

Klaus looks at Sabine "Allow me to entertain you with today's list of priorities. One, unlink your friend Sophie so she no longer controls the fate of the woman carrying my child. Two, convince my brother to accept my heartfelt apologies for some recently dodgy behaviour. Three...there is no three."

"I believe what my brother is attempting to communicate here is that neither the life of this Elder, nor the Harvest ritual, nor your coven's connection to magic are of any relevance to him whatsoever. Now talk."

—

Brie was on her way back to New Orleans with no explanation to the Mystic Falls gang. She was starting to feel light headed and start to feel hot. Lucky for her she was driving up the Mikaelson Mansion. She gets out the car and feels faint. She holds herself up by holding onto the car door. Regaining her breath back before heading into the mansion. "Rebekah?" She shouted and Rebekah vamp speed towards her but before Rebekah could say anything Brie passed out as Rebekah caught her before lifting her up to the bedroom.

A couple hours later, Rebekah enters Brie's bedroom, where Brie is sitting in an armchair "Time for the demon spawn to snack!"

Brie laughs "I really wish you wouldn't call her that"

"Oh, sorry, have you picked another name yet?" She holds out basket of apples "Take one, the plantation's lousy with them"

Brie chooses an apple and holds it for a moment "I feel fine... which is weird. I'm sure it's Sophie-related"

"Then, do me a favour, and don't die on my watch. I'll never hear the end of it. And its good to have you back" Rebekah smiled.

"You know, when I first met you, I thought you were a real bitch"

Rebekah smiles "What changed your mind?"

Brie laughs "Oh, I still think you're a bitch! I've just grown to like that about you"

Rebekah chuckles "Aw, well, that's sweet of you to say" Her face becomes more serious "Remember it when I'm gone"

Brie looks confused "Gone? Where are you going?"

"I only came to town to make sure everything was okay with Elijah. He's fine, and he hasn't punished Klaus for daggering him, so as usual, they'll be thick as thieves, and I'll be left to clean up the mess. It's time for me to fly the coop"

"Oh.." Feeling awkward, she goes to bite the apple in her hand, but she suddenly starts to feel woozy before she gets the chance to eat it.

Rebekah frowns "What's wrong?"

Brie shakes head " I dunno, probably morning sickness..."

Rebekah places hand on Brie's forehead "Oh, you're burning up, actually"

Klaus and Elijah have found Sophie in the mausoleum, and they immediately break her free from her chains

Sophie groans "Agnes stuck me with a needle. Cursed objects were created a long time ago. We use them so we don't get busted by Marcel for doing magic. The one she used is called the Needle of Sorrows. It was cursed in 1860 when..."

Klaus cuts her off "Jump ahead a few decades and tell us what it does, love?"

"It has only one purpose: to kill a child in utero by raising her blood temperature"

Klaus and Elijah are both stunned and furious "It's for a miscarriage" Sophie nods "So, how much time do we have to fix this?"

"It will do what it's meant to by tonight's high tide. And believe me, it will work. I saw her use a similar object on a kid who went mad and killed a bunch of priests"

"I'd like to have a chat with this Agnes. Where can I find her?" Klaus said looking serious.

"You won't. There are a thousand places she could hole up to wait it out"

"That's precisely why we need to unlink you from Brianna. No more danger toward her or the child"

Sophie shakes head in confusion "No, what? If I am not linked to Brie, I lose my leverage on you. We had a deal!"

"We are not on the same side, Sophie Deveraux. Our deal no longer stands!" Sophie scoffs in outrage.

Upstairs in the attic, Davina continues to work on the unlinking spell Elijah gave her. She holds her hands over the knot and reads the incantation from the page. She's clearly unfamiliar with Latin and mispronounces the words "Phesmatos omnio legares coldate sangorium" Davina stares at the knot, which doesn't move or change. She exhales in frustration and runs her hand through her hair before angrily hitting her easel.

Brie lays in bed as Rebekah blots sweat from her forehead and chest with a washcloth "Stop fussing, will you? Elijah will be here any minute"

Brie groans "I feel like I've been microwaved"

"Hey! Just because you're carrying a baby doesn't mean you get to act like one! I'm sure my little niece is healing you up as we speak"

Elijah runs in with Sophie. Rebekah stands to greet them, but is appalled when she sees who Elijah has brought with him "What the hell is she doing here?"

Sophie sighs "I'm trying to help"

"Help? You're the reason we're in this bloody mess! Why aren't we unlinked with this witch already, Elijah?"

Elijah: Rebekah, let her do what she can.

"I may know a way to slow the fever down. But, I'm gonna need some special herbs" She turns and looks at Rebekah "I'll text you a list"

Elijah nods at her in encouragement, and though Rebekah does not look pleased to be being ordered around again, she eventually relents and smiles at them patronisingly. "Fine. Happy to play the fetch girl" Rebekah stomps out of the room, and shoves the washcloth she was using into Elijah's chest as she leaves.

Rebekah frantically rifles through bottles and jars, looking for the herbs she needs to help Brie, when Marcel walks in "Isn't this Katie's shop?" Rebekah stops, rolls her eyes, and sighs as she goes back to looking for the herbs "She leave you the keys in her will, or maybe it's just Help-Yourself Tuesday? What are you doing here?"

"You know, I read if you mix mugwort with sage, you've got quite a vampire-repellent? Wards off even the most resilient pest. Why are you here?"

"Just keeping my city safe from thieves and vandals. But, every time I turn around, I catch an Original with their hand in the cookie jar!"

"Well, luckily for you, your "cookies" are the last thing on my mind"

"Oh, I can see that!" He walks toward her "Though, I can think of a time when things were different"

"Maybe once. Not anymore" She finally stops searching when she finds the herbs she needs "Camphor, found it!" She quickly exits the shop, leaving a confused and suspicious Marcel behind.

Father Kieran receives a text message from Chief Sullivan that reads, "3631 CHARBONNET ST. LOWER 9TH WARD." He puts his phone in his pocket and goes to leave, but he's stopped by Klaus "Going somewhere?"

"You're early" Kieran looks nervous.

"Well, it's a good thing I am. You seem hell-bent on enacting vengeance all on your lonesome. The trouble is, I need something from Agnes before you send her off to meet her maker. So, I propose we strike a deal!" Klaus sits down in a pew "Bring her here! In exchange, I'll even ensure your niece, Cami, remains safe. Oh, I'd so hate for her to get caught up in all of this"

Later, the police officers in the Faction return to the church with Agnes, who is handcuffed and brought to the front of the room

Agnes looks appalled "This is outrageous! What is the charge?" The officers sit her in a pew and leave

"Please, Agnes. You know that Marcel runs the vampires in this town" Kieran is handed a folded cloth by the officer, which is revealed to contain the Needle of Sorrows "Who do you think runs everything else?" He holds the needle up and calls out to Klaus, who vamp-speeds to his side "I believe this is what you were looking for?

"Hello, Agnes" Klaus walks in.

Agnes looks shocked "You made a deal with him?"

Kieran was furious "After what you did to Sean, I'd deal with the devil himself just to make you suffer!"

Agnes stands up and gets in Kieran's face "You can't hurt me. The entire witch community will turn against you!"

Klaus gets impatient "ENOUGH! Please, enough! I don't care about witch politics. I don't care about your ridiculous little Harvest ritual. What I care about is this trinket." He holds up the Needle of Sorrows "Undo its curse, or I'll show you things worse than death!"

Agnes smirks "Dark objects don't come with an off-switch! The curse took root in Sophie, she's linked to your devil child. It's just a matter of time!"

Brie is wrapped in a towel, sitting outside beside the swimming pool. Rebekah stands behind her, checking her temperature, while Elijah assists Sophie in helping with the herbs. He shrugs off his jacket and rolls up his sleeves "She's burning up! We need to do this now"

"Get her in the water!" Elijah jumps into the pool and helps Brie in. Sophie mixes herbs in a cup and follows them into the water as well.

Rebekah is frustrated "I don't see how a midnight swim is supposed to help"

"Her temperature is sky-high. The water, with the help of the herbs, should cool us down" She hands Brie the herbal concoction "Drink this!" She turns to Elijah "You're going to have to get her heart rate down."

"How do you suggest I do that?" Elijah asks.

"Hold her. It's a natural human remedy to slow the heart rate and reduce blood pressure."

Rebekah looks worried "This is never gonna work."

Elijah picks Brie up and holds her bridal-style in the pool "Davina will break the link, we just need time" Brie clings to Elijah and groans as she gasps for breath.

Davina is sitting on her bed in her room, studying the spell intently. She stares at the sanguinum knot on her vanity, and after a moment, she stands up and walks over to it. She picks up the knot with both hands and takes a breath before she begins the spell. This time, she recites it properly " Phesmatos omnio legares cordate..."

In the swimming pool at the Mikaelson Mansion, Brie begins hyperventilating " I can't breathe!"

"Okay, long deep breaths, Brianna! Look at me. Long deep breaths, just focus on the sound of my voice" He lowers his voice to a whisper "You'll be okay. You'll be okay"

In Davina's room, she continues the spell " Phesmatos omnio legares cordate sangorium" The clock on her table chimes as it hits 09:00PM

Brie screams in pain and thrashes in Elijah's hold "AHHHH! AHHHH!" The knot in Davina's hands floats in the air and begins to unknot itself

Sophie starts to gasp as the linking spell begins to lift. Brie continues to groan in pain. The knot completely unravels itself in midair, and Davina smiles and giggles in happiness.

In the pool, Sophie looks up at the sky, looking almost disappointed "I just felt it lift."

Rebekah sighs in relief. Brie starts to calm down, and Elijah looks stunned. Brie stands up on her own, but still leans against Elijah, still weak from the spell. Sophie removes one of her earrings and pokes her palm with it. Brie looks at her palm, and she and Elijah both look relieved when she's not injured. Elijah holds her hand and he and Brie stare at each other for a long moment. Rebekah notices their shared glances, so Elijah quickly lets go and leads Brie out of the pool. "Come on, let's go"

"Elijah... as soon as your brother finds out that the link is broken, he'll kill Agnes. I know you don't owe me anything, but please, don't let him kill her." Sophie pleads as she is still in the pool. Elijah zooms out of the pool and pulls his phone out of his jacket on the table "Elijah! She's our only access to the power we need to survive. Promise me that you'll stop him!" Elijah ignores her and dials a number into his phone before raising it to his ear. It's Klaus, though only Elijah's side of the call is heard

" It's me, where are you? Don't hurt her. I'll be there shortly" He hangs up and turns to Sophie "I'll make you one last promise. I won't let my brother kill Agnes"

Sophie nods at him gratefully, and Elijah picks up his jacket and shoes and walks away. Sophie and Brie turn to get out of the pool, but Brie stops Sophie at the steps "I know you were just using me to save your people, but try it again, and I'll kill you." Brie leaves, and Sophie sighs in defeat.


	29. Chapter 29

Rebekah walks into Elijah's bedroom while he's finishing getting dressed in dry clothes and stands in the doorway

Rebekah smiles "The unlinking worked! Maybe now we can make plans—"

Elijah interrupts her "Not now, Rebekah. Can we discuss this when I return?" Elijah walks toward the door in a hurry.

Rebekah sighs in frustration " I won't be here when you return"

Elijah stops walking and turns to Rebekah "That sounds like a goodbye"

"I guess it is. I only came to New Orleans to make sure you were safe. You are. I thought that I might be able to convince you to come with me, but here you are, rushing into whatever Klaus and Marcel and the witches have cooked up. And I finally get it." She starts to tear up "You'll never leave this city. You'll never leave Klaus"

Elijah looks at her sadly and walks toward her "Then you should stay.

Rebekah shakes her head "This thing that you and Klaus and Marcel have, I want no part of it" Tears fall down her cheeks as she cries "I just want to be free"

Elijah looks at her sadly "Well, then, go" He kisses her on the cheek "You are free! " Elijah leaves, and Rebekah tries to compose herself.

—

Marcel finishes his drink as Rebekah walks into his bedroom "Rebekah. Twice in one night. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Call me old-fashioned, but I believe farewells are best in person."

Marcel inhales sharply "You got Elijah back, and now you two are gonna tuck-tail and run? Smart girl. Have a nice life"

"He's staying. And I'm not running, I'm disembarking a sinking ship"

"People have been saying this city's been sinking since I was a boy. It ain't going anywhere. But hey!" He grabs a bottle of scotch "How 'bout one for the road?" He starts pouring scotch into a glass

"Why? So you can liquor me up and convince me to stay?"

Marcel stands up and gets in her face "Why else did you come here?"

"I came to say goodbye"

Marcel whispers in her ear "Then say it"

The stare into each other's eyes for a long moment "Forget it." She turns to leave, but Marcel grabs her wrist and pulls himself toward her, kissing her passionately. She pushes him away and glares at him for a moment, but then runs up to him and starts kissing him. He pushes her away and they start to undress as they make out. Rebekah shoves him onto a chair and sits on his lap as they start to have sex.

—

Klaus, Agnes, and Father Kieran are still arguing in the church

"You're a piece of work, Agnes. But, guess what? I'm quite a piece of work myself. You know, I contemplated leaving bits of you artfully arranged outside your family's tomb? I thought it would leave a fitting message" Klaus zooms over to Agnes and pulls her up into a choke-hold "Don't. Touch. My. Family"

Elijah enters and approaches them at the front of the room "Leave her" Klaus pulls Agnes into a headlock and stands back as he watches Elijah walk down the aisle toward them "I gave my word" Father Kieran stands up to greet Elijah.

"You tend to give your word at the most inopportune times, brother. We've been doing things your way all day. Come on! Just one little snap and it's "Toodle-loo, Agnes." She deserves it!"

"Niklaus, don't make another move. You have asked for my forgiveness. I will grant you that forgiveness, but do not make me break my word"

Klaus glares at his brother as he considers it. After a moment, he lets Agnes go. Klaus opens arms wide "My noble brother, how was that for personal growth, eh? Still, it is just like you to spoil all of my fun"

Elijah stares Agnes in the eyes "Oh, not necessarily" Elijah zooms over to one of the men who helped Agnes and rips his heart out, throws a second man up into the air, and does the same to a third as he rips out the man's heart. He turns to Klaus with a bloody heart in each hand, and drops them to the floor. He pulls out his pocket square to wipe his hands as Agnes stares in horror, and Klaus grins proudly behind her "Now, I swore you would not die by my brother's hand. I said nothing of my own" He grabs Agnes in a choke-hold and pushes her backwards "Nobody hurts my family and lives" He quickly snaps her neck, and turns to leave "No one"

—

Rebekah, who is wearing Marcel's button-up shirt over her underwear, leans on the balcony's railing and looks at the people on the street below. Marcel comes up behind her and nuzzles at her neck "Mmm. I've been away from this home almost a hundred years, and you haven't changed a thing in my bedroom"

Marcel smiles "I guess I was holding out hope that you'd come back to it. Though, I imagine it's not quite as comfortable as those beds at the Palace Royale Hotel"

Rebekah smiles awkwardly "It's plenty comfortable!" She pauses and turns toward her bag "I'm famished!" She pulls out one of the apples from the plantation and offers it to him.

Marcel shakes his head "Nah, apples aren't my thing."

"They were your favourite, one upon a time"

Marcel nods "Ah, they were! I'd get my ass beat if I ever ate them working on that plantation. Even the spoiled ones. Now, they just remind me of a time when I couldn't have things"

Rebekah leans against Marcel and grabs his arms "Well, now you can have whatever you want" She pauses a moment "Come with me"

Marcel raises an eyebrow "And go where, Rebekah?"

"Wherever we want to! We can build a home together, we can leave behind Klaus, this city, and those Orphan-Annie vampires..."

"Whoa, whoa, those "Orphan-Annie vampires" are my family, and this city is my home"

" It was my home, too, once. I left" Rebekah simply said.

"You ran. I stayed! This empire thrives because of me, and you want me to run? A man does not run from his home!"

" I've lived a lot longer than you have, Marcellus. I have seen kings rise, and fall, but there is one thing I know to be true. It is that no matter how matter how big your empire becomes, it is nothing if you have no one to share it with" She glares at him "You want New Orleans? Have it. I won't be here to stop you"She shoves the apple into his chest and leaves. Marcel angrily stares out at the street and thinks about what just happened. When he looks at the apple, he realises something and picks it up so he can smell it.

Josh has stopped by to find Klaus. Brie answers the door "Where is he? I've been trying to find him all day. Marcel knows that Klaus lied to him about where he lives"

Brie sighs "I'm not his damn keeper, Josh"

"Fine! Just... tell him to call me, please"

"Okay" Brie shuts the door, and Josh walks away from the house, not knowing that Marcel is standing behind the tree and has heard their entire conversation. Marcel sees a bunch of apples that have fallen from the apple tree and onto the ground. When he picks one up, he flashes back to when he was just a young boy, right before Klaus adopted him, when he was being whipped by the plantation's slave-master. Young Marcel picks up an apple and lobs it at the man in anger. In the present, Marcel looks at the apple in his hand, and then looks over at the front door to the plantation house.

A short while later, someone knocks on the door again. Brie goes to answer, thinking it's Josh again, but it's Marcel "Ugh, what the hell, Josh?" She opens the door to find that Marcel is on the porch, and he startles her.

Marcel smiles "Hi there, I'm Marcel. I don't think we've met!" Brie looks scared and angry.

—

Outside, Klaus angrily stomps away from the bar, but Marcel catches up with him

"Hey, where you been?" Klaus stops walking and rolls his eyes in annoyance before turning to Marcel "Not still mad about our tiff the other night, are you?"

Klaus smiles fakely "Water under the bridge"

"Cami's all yours if you're interested. I'm feeling like right now's not the right time to pursue a relationship. Life's all about timing, you know? Speaking of, I swung by your house earlier to commiserate over a drink, but I must have just missed you"

"Oh, the Palace Royale didn't suit me, I moved on weeks ago."

Marcel smiles and shakes his head knowingly "Noo, I mean your other place"

—

Elijah comes home to find the house empty. Elijah looks around "Brianna?"

—

Klaus and Marcel are still talking in the street "Interesting location to put down your roots, the same plantation where I was a slave. I guess that's why you never invited me over"

Klaus smiles "Well, how rude of me. I'll speak to Elijah. I'm sure he'll be pleased to host you and Davina for the evening! Especially after you were so hospitable to him"

Marcel smiles and chuckles "Good! I look forward to it." He and Klaus continue to shake hands, but as soon as Marcel leaves, Klaus' smile disappears and begins to look worried.

Elijah calls Rebekah from the house, and she answers from the road while she is on her way out of town in her car "Goodbye means goodbye, Elijah"

Elijah looks worried "Is she with you?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Rebekah said as she kept her eyes on the road.

"Brianna's gone. Where is she?"

"WHAT?" Rebekah shouts in disbelief.

Klaus anxiously walks into Brie's room and joins Elijah "Marcel was here"

Elijah looks stunned, and absentmindedly drops the phone from his ear.

—

Dozens of vampires have congregated in the courtyard of the compound, where they all talk amongst themselves and drink. After a moment, Marcel appears on the balcony

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Fight Night! And, the first rule of Fight Night is: the vampire left standing at the end of the night is one step closer to the inner circle, and one of these" He holds up the hand on which he wears his ring "a daylight ring. If you can impress me with a little ultra-violence, you too can enjoy the warmth of the sun on your face. All you got to do is kick a little ass. Here we go!" All the vampires form a circle as they wait for the announcement of the first fighters

"Our first two contenders: Felicia and Otto!" Felicia and Otto fight while the rest of the vampires cheer them on. At one point, it appears that Otto has the upper-hand, but ultimately Felicia wins the fight by wrapping her legs around his neck and twisting her hips to snap his neck "Damn, girl! Not bad!"

Suddenly, Klaus and Elijah enter the courtyard. Klaus walks behind Felicia and snaps her neck. The whole room goes silent "Good evening! I'd like a word"

"What do you think you're doing?" Marcel looks annoyed.

"It appears that we've interrupted a collection of filthy amateurs! We've come here for the girl. Give it to us, or we kill everyone here... starting with you"

Marcel scoffs confidently "You two got a lot of nerve, coming into my home and making demands"

Klaus smiles fakely "Your home, is it?"

Elijah looks angry "The girl! I will not ask again"

"I assume you're talking about Brianna? Yea high, dark hair, bitchy attitude? Who is she, anyway?" Marcel described Brie in his own words.

"She's an old friend. You know how sentimental I am about old friends."

"Well, I ain't got her. And before you start whining, I did pay her a little visit earlier tonight. I was feeling nostalgic, so I took a trip out to the plantation where I used to be a slave. And, imagine my surprise when I realised that the Original family of vampires had taken up residence. Your girl, Brie, answered the door, we exchanged hellos, that was it. You don't believe me? Look around. Hell, I'll even help you find her. But the question that I'd ask is: if Brie isn't here, then where is she?"

Brie awakens in the trunk of an SUV with her wrists bound as it drives down the country roads of Louisiana. She tries to kick out the back window to escape, but the driver stops the car and gets out to check the trunk. When he opens it, he tries to grab her, but she fights back by kicking at him. It's revealed that the driver is Tyler Lockwood.

Tyler looks annoyed "Seriously?"

"Tyler?"

"You don't wanna fight me, Brie. You know you can't beat a hybrid."

He uses zip-ties to bind her ankles so she can't run away "Ahh! Let me go, you backstabbing half-breed piece of shit"

"Shut up!" Tyler pulls Brie out of the trunk and throws her over his shoulder. As he walks down the road, his hybrid face comes out as he angrily drags Brie into the Bayou.


End file.
